Redemption
by MasterAssassin2012
Summary: The day my life changed was the day the Harbinger of the Companions offered me a place with him in Jorrvaskr. That was the day I vowed to never go back to what I was before, I would never become that savage again. I would show Tralen that he made the mistake of taking me—of turning me into a werewolf.
1. Prologue - Beast in Eastmarch

Prologue:

Beast in Eastmarch

**Loredas 24 Frostfall 4E 190 4:15PM**

"Mendre!" I shouted as I walked through the forests of Eastmarch, near Mixwater Mill, searching for my friend. "Where did you go?!" I heard snickering to my right. I marched over, but he wasn't there. "This isn't funny anymore! You've been hiding for over an hour! It's my turn!"

"All right! All right! _Sheesh_!" I jumped as Mendre's voice came from behind me. I spun around to face him.

Mendre was a Nord like me, but he was small for his age, which made me think his mother was an Imperial, but Mendre insisted his mother was a Nord and that he hadn't hit his growth spurt yet. He wore a simple red tunic and dark brown trousers with cloth shoes, as he always did, and he had light-colored hair and blue eyes that glinted suspiciously whenever he was up to something.

"I'll count to ten and you go hide, all right?" Mendre said with a sigh.

I placed my hands on my hips and frowned at him. "No peeking."

Mendre smiled crookedly and crossed his arms. "Says the girl who peeks _every time_." I glared at him but he turned around and started counting. "One…two…" Mendre began.

I didn't bother to yell at him for making silly assumptions, so I bolted for the nearest bush and sat down, trying to be as quiet as I possibly could. I knew I'd have to go home soon. It was nearly dinner time and I had to help my mother with preparing it, and my father wanted to make sure that I got home okay. He worked at the mill some days when an extra pair of hands was needed.

"TEN!" I heard Mendre shout. I froze on the spot, not daring to make a noise. I watched the shadow his body casted as he walked towards me and I held my breath, my lungs yelling for me to breathe. It wasn't until I saw Mendre's shadow run away that I released the breath I'd been holding.

_Wait, _I thought slowly to myself, _Mendre _ran away _from me... _I stood up and turned around, only to become face-to-face with a large Redguard man. He wasn't wearing a tunic, but he was wearing fur armor around his waist and fur boots. His black hair was short, and he had strange gold eyes. _How is he not cold? _I wondered.

"Hello there," he smiled, revealing white teeth.

I stood up and backed away slowly. Something about this man was telling me he was dangerous and that I should run away like Mendre. "H-Hi," I stammered.

The man continued to smile. "I'm sorry for scaring you. I'm just lost, and I was hoping you could tell me which way Windhelm is."

I took another step back. The Redguard man took a step forward. "I-I can ask my mom if you'd like. She or my dad is better with directions than me."

The Redguard grinned again. I noticed a wolfish quality to it. "Are you sure you don't know which way Windhelm is?"

I nodded and made to turn when I felt the Redguard man grab my arm, and then he spun me around. The gold in his eyes was alive with fire and want, and I was _scared_. "Mo—!" The Redguard covered my mouth with his hand. I felt something warm on my lips. _Blood? _

"Open your mouth and drink the blood, understand?" I whimpered and shook my head. "Open your mouth, girl!" I didn't open my mouth, breathing through my nose. "One more chance or I will _force _you to open your mouth!"

I held firm, and the next thing I felt was searing pain in my scalp as the Redguard man pulled my hair. I couldn't stop my mouth from opening in a scream, my eyes closing as tears welled up at my eyes, and I felt the warm blood from the Redguard's hand leak into my mouth as he forced it in. He held me there until I felt the blood go down my throat. I snapped my eyes open when I felt a white-hot burning in the center of my stomach, as if there was a fire that would consume me from the inside-out.

"Good girl," the Redguard growled, releasing me.

I collapsed onto the ground in a heap. I screamed, but it was muffled as the Redguard had placed his massive hand over my mouth. I tried to scream again, pain laced in my voice. The Redguard began to drag me away with little effort, further away from Mendre and my parents. I felt myself heaving, and the Redguard removed his hand just as I threw up blood. I didn't know if it was mine or his—all I knew was I was in _pain_. The fire in my stomach started to travel from to my arms, legs, and my head. I screamed—only to be muffled again.

I felt sweat pouring off of my body. I looked at the Redguard man as he placed me in the snow. When had we gotten so far? "W-What's happening t-to me?!" I rasped as the fire began to intensify. It felt as though my very blood was burning!

The Redguard grinned. "You'll learn soon enough, girl."

I choked, withdrawing into myself as I clenched my hands into fists. I laid in the snow, feeling the cold sting of the snowflakes but unable to comprehend them. Heat travelled the length of my spine, and I slammed one of my fists into the snow as I felt more tears come.

"Stop fighting it!" the Redguard snarled. "Embrace it. It's a gift. From me, to you."

Peeling my eyes open painfully, I felt blood begin leaking from my palm. I unclenched my hands and looked at them. They were _transforming _from hands to… to… _claws_. I gasped in fear, but only ended up clenching them again as my back arched. I could hear clothes tearing but I couldn't distinguish if it was my clothes or someone else's, since my mind felt as if it was slipping, leaving to go somewhere else.

I opened my mouth to scream, but no sound came out. Hot tears spilled over my cheeks, pain and confusion obscuring their true intent. I tried screaming again, but the noise that came out of my mouth wasn't a scream, but a howl. A blood-curdling howl.

"Almost there…" the Redguard's deep voice growled.

I blinked, the tears still falling, but my vision went next. All I saw was a streak of dark crimson, and then I was enveloped in black.


	2. Chapter 1 - Harbinger of the Companions

Chapter One:

Harbinger of the Companions

**Sundas 12 Second Seed 4E 199 11:30AM**

My eyes opened slowly and I narrowed them as the sunlight streamed through the forest. I was aware that I wasn't wearing anything, my clothes far from where I had fallen asleep. It didn't bother me, waking up far from my clothes in completely unknown territory; it'd been a part of my life for far too long for me to care.

I rubbed my aching head as I sat up and leaned against the large tree that I had fallen asleep under. Lifting my head, I looked around and realized that I had fallen asleep in the dense forests that bordered Falkreath. My clothes must've still laid in the thin woods that surrounded Riften.

I ran my hands through my russet-colored hair a few times to dislodge any sticks or grass that more than likely got tangled when I had fallen asleep last night. When I finished, I was surprised that there weren't any twigs or clumps of dirt that had caked in my hair. _Ugh, I need to swim_, I thought to myself as I looked down at my body. Blood and dirt stained my front, and I was sure my back wasn't any better.

Slowly, I stood up and sighed. The fresh morning air was still crisp and the cold stung my lungs. Looking around one more time (a habit that I had picked up on my own), I sniffed the air. I could smell fires burning off in the distance; I could hear birds, chipmunks, and other small critters scampering around the forest floor. I smiled to myself. This was my home.

Out of habit, I licked my lips and my eyes widened as a sadistic grin appeared on my face. The copper flavor of blood lingered on my tongue, but the subtle taste of feline lasted the longest. There was only _one _type of species to have that kind of blood: Khajiit. My _favorite _prey. My eyes darted around, trying to find a bloody trail that I might've left, but (to my disappointment) I found none.

Luckily, I wasn't anywhere _near _the trade roads, so I didn't have to worry about a traveler or a Falkreath guard spotting me. I didn't want to get arrested for public nudity. Sniffing the air, I caught the scent of rotting flesh and followed it. I pushed some bushes aside when the scent became overpowering and I looked down.

Blood spattered the lush, green forest floor and the corpse of the slain Khajiit warrior brought back last night's events. My eyes darted from the corpse to the distinct claw marks that marred the trees around the Khajiit. Blood spattered the trees as well.

_Not my cleanest hunt, _I thought to myself as I licked my lips again.

As I dimly recalled the hunt, the wolf within me started to stir, and when I inhaled the Khajiit's scent again it awakened, wanting to feast on it once more. I pushed the urge back. It was risky enough to transform at night, but it'd be suicidal to transform during the day.

I was lost in my thoughts as I remembered killing this Khajiit that I had barely registered footsteps approaching. I heard the bushes being pushed apart but I didn't remove my gaze. The temptation to indulge again was becoming strong and I felt the heat traveling down my spine. I knew my eyes had shifted from the sharp silver to the equally sharp gold of the wolf.

"You there!" a deep, commanding voice bellowed. Instantly the fire died and my eyes, no doubt, were back to silver.

I turned my head slowly and I saw a large Nord man with white hair and an equally white beard staring at me. Without thinking, I hopped to my feet and bolted deeper into the forest, completely abandoning my kill. _Get away! Get away! Get away! _was the only thought racing through my mind. Normally I would've stayed and held my ground, but one look at the Nord told me he was stronger and more experienced in fighting, and that was enough for my instincts to tell me to turn tail and run.

I turned my head back and saw that the Nord was following me. A small, unimportant part of my mind was impressed that this hulking Nord was able to follow me through the thick forest while wearing steel armor. "Stop! I just want to talk with you!" the Nord hollered. I hoped that his voice didn't carry to Falkreath and alert the guards.

I pushed myself to go faster. Small animals scurried out of my way. "Stay away from me!" I yelled as I ran. "I'm not going back to Tralen!" I was _never _going to go back to him. As my mind drifted back to the thought of going back to the man who was responsible for my Beast Blood (again), I didn't see the stump that I was running towards and the next thing I knew my left shin connected with it.

"Gah!" I exclaimed as I tripped over the stump and landed on my side. I was dazed for a moment, but I turned my head when I heard the Nord quickly approaching. Looking around erratically, I found a thicket and crawled towards it.

I was hidden within the thicket by the time the Nord came barrelling through the brush. I had an okay view of the hunter as he crouched and touched the ground. When he brought his hand up, I saw the crimson on his fingers and I looked at my leg. _Gods-dammit_! I touched the wound and hissed quietly. It'd take time for my Beast Blood to fully heal it.

"I know you're still here," the Nord said. I froze. Cautiously, I sniffed the air and frowned. The Nord had a similar scent to mine. There was an underlying smell that was all his own, but I caught the strong scent of wolf in his blood. Yet the lingering thought was still in my mind:

Was he a part of Tralen's new pack? Or was he a hunter of were-creatures?

I shook my head and watched as the Nord sat down, moving his pack so it sat in front of him. He opened the pack up and I immediately caught the smell of bread, apples, pears… I growled quietly as my stomach snarled. _Traitor,_ I thought as I looked my stomach. I knew the Nord heard that—I bet everyone in _Skyrim_ heard that!

Hissing as I moved my wounded leg, I poked my head out of the thicket. The Nord man looked at me directly. His silver eyes were another clue in telling me that he was what I was. He smiled warmly. "Hello there. I wish to speak with you—." I hid before he could properly finish his sentence. I wrapped my arms around my torso and brought my legs up to my chest, growling as the pain in my left leg flared up.

"Here." I looked up and saw that the Nord man had placed a red bottle at the edge of the thicket before walking back to where his things were and sitting down. Tentatively, I reached for the bottle, uncorked it, and sniffed the liquid. It was sweet in smell. I took a small sip and in an instant the burning in my leg dulled. I drank the rest of the potion in one gulp.

"T-Thank you," I muttered as I placed the bottle back where it was originally placed. My voice was rough. I could talk, but I chose not to when I was dealing with other people. Best they know little about me and what I do.

"You're welcome," the Nord replied. I started shaking as he walked over and grabbed the bottle, only to set down a pair of black trousers and a white tunic. "I thought you might need these."

I waited until he walked away before I dressed. When I was, I looked back at the Nord and gulped. "Don't be a coward! You're a wolf!" I murmured quietly to myself. I didn't care if this Nord heard me; I wasn't going to deny what I was. I'd been through that stage already.

Taking a calming breath, I crawled out of my pathetic hiding spot and sat in front of the thicket I had been hiding behind, keeping a good distance away from the Nord. "Thank-you for the clothes," I muttered. I wasn't a total savage. I didn't _completely _abandon civilization. I just preferred the wilderness of Skyrim to the cities. No rules, no laws, and _no one _to tell me what I could or couldn't do. I tilted my head as I looked at the Nord. "Why would you help me?"

The man smiled again. "Perhaps you should know my name first, my dear?"

I nodded. "I think that might help."

The man continued to smile. "My name, dear, is Kodlak Whitemane." He cleared his throat. "I'm the Harbinger of the Companions in Whiterun."

My eyes widened. _"Remember, whelp!" Tralen growled as he threw me into a wall. "The Companions are the over-glorified hounds of our world. If we draw attention to ourselves, they come and destroy us!"_

I stood up and looked around for a quick escape. "I-I didn't mean to…" I looked at Kodlak, who simply patted the ground.

"I'm not here to hurt you. Rather, I'm curious. Most Vargrs aren't as civil as you're being…?"

I slowly sat back down, but I was on alert. "Skadi," I mumbled.

Kodlak grinned. I was starting to feel a bit better. "Skadi."

I cleared my throat and brought my knees up to my chest, wrapping my arms around them and resting my chin on my knees. "I'm not one of those monsters," I said quietly. "I'm not a complete _savage_." Some of my long, russet-colored hair fell in front of my face again and I brushed it aside.

Kodlak nodded. "But you killed that Khajiit."

I shrugged. "I'm not proud of it, but I don't regret it either. I tried. Honestly, I _tried _to stick to eating elk and other animals, but they don't fill me as well as the men and mer."

Kodlak nodded. "You're very bright, Skadi. How old are you?"

I bit my lip, tasting more of the Kahjiit blood and wishing that the bloodlust forming in my mind would disappear. "I've seen nine winters living out here. I was taken from my home when I was ten."

Kodlak stroked his beard in thought for a moment. "So, nineteen years old then?" I nodded. "Are you running from something, someone?" he asked.

I nodded again. I didn't relax. "Tralen, a Redguard. He's the one that made me drink his blood—made me become a Werewolf to begin with." I felt tears forming in my eyes as I remembered him pulling my hair, making me drink his blood. "He wanted me so he could create his own pack." Kodlak didn't seem to react. "I-I tried going home. My parents live in Eastmarch, but they…" I trailed off as I remembered their reactions when I told them that I was a werewolf.

_"We can't risk having the others discover that our daughter is a monster!" my mother exclaimed._

_My father crossed his arms as he looked at me. "What can we do? We can't take her up to the College! They'll either kill her with a spell, or kill her while they're trying to cure her!"_

_"Don't I get a say in this?!" I interjected. I understood what they were saying. I was thirteen, not five._

_My father looked at me with sombre brown eyes. "No, Skadi. You don't."_

"They what?" Kodlak prompted.

I blinked as the horrible memory faded and I looked back at Kodlak. "They didn't want me. Didn't want a _monster_ for a child."

Kodlak gave a nod in response. "So, you don't have a home?" I shook my head. Kodlak came closer and I tensed a little. "Would you like it if I told you that you could say with me in the Jorrvaskr in Whiterun? I'm sure we have a bed available for you."

I gulped as I looked at him. "S-Stay with the Companions? B-But Tralen said that you hunted—."

"We hunt Vargrs that are out of control, Skadi. You're not out of control." He grinned. I looked at the dirt. "You're just a little wilder than the typical Werewolf, like someone else I know." I watched as Kodlak reached into his pack and removed a loaf of bread. Again, my traitorous stomach snarled. Kodlak handed me the bread.

I took it without hesitation and (no pun intended) wolfed it down. Eating regular food was a rarity, and some days that was all I craved, which was why I went on killing sprees that probably caught the Companion's attention.

"You certainly have the appetite of a Werewolf," Kodlak commented playfully. I blushed as I wiped my mouth.

Kodlak grabbed his pack and stood up, offering me his hand. I took it and the Harbinger hoisted me to my feet. "How long have you been on your own?"

I rubbed the back of my head for a moment in thought. "I was turned when I was ten, sir. Then I left two years after that. Tralen was gone on a hunt and I snuck out while he was doing so. I had to swim in the cold waters for a long time so he would lose my scent. I've been running ever since."

Kodlak nodded as he took out a piece of parchment and jotted something down. "Tralen, his name is?" I nodded. Kodlak had probably written down his name. When he was done, he folded it up and placed it in a pouch on his belt. "I'll be sure he doesn't find or harm you, Skadi."

"T-Thank you, sir."

Kodlak placed his large Nord hand on my head and messed up my already wild hair. I jumped back, my breathing erratic, but a small part of my mind told me that he was just being playful, like… like… I didn't know what. "Now, Whiterun is a long ways away and it's nearly three in the afternoon." I looked up at the sky and frowned. _How did nearly three hours pass by so quickly?_ "Do you want to walk to Falkreath and stay at the Dead Man's Drink?" Kodlak continued.

I tensed at the thought of being anywhere _near _civilization. I mean, I had time to mentally prepare for Whiterun, but Falkreath was about a two hour walk away. I needed more time than that to prepare myself.

"Perhaps we should camp then." I nodded at Kodlak's words.

I walked a few paces behind Kodlak. I wanted to observe him, and see what kind of man he really was. I was really good at reading people. I had to be if I was to enter a village or city to steal supplies. I stopped in my tracks as I realized one detail.

"S-Sir," I stammered as Kodlak looked at me. "I hunt at night. It's the only time I can and if I don't…" I gulped. "I lose control."

Kodlak placed a large hand on my shoulder. I looked at it for a moment. "I understand. Perhaps I should hunt as well." I looked back at him. "You obviously know what I am from my scent, no?" I nodded sheepishly. "I can help you with hunting away from the men and mer that live in Falkreath or are traveling." Kodlak looked around the forest. "Perhaps there are some elk, deer, rabbits…"

"I prefer carnivores. Their blood tastes the closest to the men and mer." I grinned guiltily. "Sabrecats are my favorite though."

Kodlak grinned. "Because they taste like the Khajiit?" I nodded.

As we walked, I had to lift the black trousers around my waist so that I didn't end up walking with them wrapped around my ankles. As we walked, Kodlak had removed a pair of shoes and offered them to me, to which I refused. I liked the feel of the ground underneath me. It made me feel more at home. But I had to roll the sleeves up on the miner's shirt he gave me, seeing as how it was just as big as the trousers I wore.

We were near the road again when Kodlak finally spoke. "I think you'll like Whiterun, Skadi. It's a nice place. Large plains, plenty of deer, elk, some wild cats…"

"Khajiit?!" I asked with a lot of enthusiasm.

Kodlak sighed, making me nervous. "We have a caravan that arrives every now-and-then. But don't hunt them. They aren't wild game." I pouted childishly.

"It'll take some time for me to get used to living in a home again—and with people to boot!" Kodlak grinned, and I found that my heart uplifted when he did. "I grew up in Eastmarch, then in a cave somewhere. Tralen always moved around, not wanting to stay in one place for very long."

"He must be crafty and persistent if you had to keep running."

I didn't speak. Tralen was a killer through and through. He wanted me for one reason, and that was a reason I didn't like.

_"You're only alive so I can create more members of this pack! You _will_ submit to me, whelp!" Tralen snarled as he grabbed my wrist and shook me roughly._

Kodlak looked at me again. I looked at the ground. "You'll be safe with us. Aela, Vilkas, Farkas, Skjor, and myself will protect you. It's what the Companions do." Kodlak smiled crookedly. "If the five of us don't, Elana will."

I tilted my head. "Elana?" I asked.

Kodlak grinned. "You'll meet her when we arrive at Jorrvaskr."

I nodded and listened as Kodlak began describing the history of the Companions. I found myself enthralled by his words. The Companions were more than just hunters: they were basically like the Fighter's Guild that I sometimes heard about when I went into Riften or ventured close to the Skyrim/Cyrodiil border.

As Kodlak continued to speak, I would sometimes interrupt to ask a question (after apologizing for interrupting him) and he'd happily answer.

For the first time, I felt as though I had hope and maybe... just maybe... a family.


	3. Chapter 2 - Welcome to the Companions

Chapter Two:

Welcome to the Companions

**Middas 15 Second Seed 4E 199 8:45PM**

"I'm _so_ sorry, sir," I mumbled as I rested my face in my hands. Kodlak and I were near Whiterun and it was already dark. Thankfully, the twin moons weren't full. I'd experienced their effects _hundreds _of times. When they were full, their lunar power practically _sang _to my Beast Blood. I stole a glance at Kodlak and wondered if the moons affected him as well.

"It's all right, Skadi. No harm was done," Kodlak reassured me, pulling me from my thoughts.

On our way back, I had caught the slightest whiff of a Khajiit on the wind and the wolf within me had taken over and forced my transformation. Thankfully Kodlak was able to stop me before I had attacked the caravan (it was going to Whiterun, oddly enough). Instead, I had hunted an elk, a sabrecat, and a wolf, but my hunger _still_ wasn't sated.

My clothes, being too big for me, were just about big enough to handle my Beast form. The shirt and trousers were just barely clinging to my body, covered in dirt and blood. Even my fingers were covered in blood. _I look_ _like a savage…_

"Harbinger," a Whiterun guard said as we approached the main gates. "Welcome home. The Companions are eager for your—." The faceless guard stopped talking as he took me in. I felt both unsure and defensive. "Who's this?"

Kodlak placed a hand on my shoulder. "A new member of the Companions. She ran into some trouble with some wolves on the way here. She was lucky that I was there to stop them." I ducked my head as I translated it to: _"She's lucky that I was there to stop her from attacking a caravan."_

The guard seemed uneasy. "Very well. Don't go causing trouble now, you hear?" I looked at the guard and nodded slowly. He opened the gates for Kodlak and I to enter. I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding once the gates closed behind us. There weren't many people out and about; just a few guards patrolling the streets as Kodlak and I walked. They regarded him with respect and offered me with weary, sideways glances.

"This is the Plains District," Kodlak said. I remembered him telling me that Whiterun was divided into three districts. The Plains District, the Wind District (which was where the Jorrvaskr was located) and the Cloud District, where Dragonsreach was seated above all of Whiterun.

"Is it true that Dragonsreach can hold a Dragon?" I asked Kodlak as we walked up the steps to the Wind District. "I mean, I've heard rumors about it from travelers…"

Kodlak smiled. I'd been asking him questions whenever one came to mind, and he seemed amused with every question I had. He commented that I obviously enjoyed the wild more so than the cities, and I agreed each time.

"You'll get a proper tour tomorrow during the day," Kodlak assured me. I nodded as we reached the Wind District and stared at a large tree that stood tall at the center of the square before Kodlak gestured to the large building on my right. "That's Jorrvaskr, your new home." My eyes widened as I walked up the steps with him.

He gave me a look and I nodded, showing him that I was ready. Smiling, he opened the door, and there were instantly men and women (mostly men) running towards us. I took a step back, a growl building my throat, but I kept the noise down. My hands started twitching, but I kept them at my sides. I didn't want to show how nervous I was in front of them.

There were two men that looked similar as they came towards us; the only difference (to me at least) was the armor they wore. One of them wore the same armor as Kodlak, while the other one wore… steel? A third man wore the same armor as the other Nord man and Kodlak and his eyes rested on me, as if he was bored. But a Nord woman with burnt orange hair and three green stripes across her face rested her eyes on me briefly and I saw the flash of challenge in them.

I spotted a young Imperial woman with green eyes and short brown hair. She looked curious when her green eyes rested on me and I looked back. She seemed a little shy—timid perhaps? I inhaled through my nose and I figured everyone—aside from the young woman—was a Werewolf. Their eyes and scents gave them away. The woman with the burnt orange hair did the same to me and her silver eyes narrowed further in discontent, or just annoyance.

"I apologize for my late arrival, Companions," Kodlak said calmly. "My contract lies completed, so worry not. The job is done."

The woman with the burnt orange hair looked at me. Her silver eyes were narrowed at me again. I felt my wolf awakening when her gaze met mine. "Harbinger, who's—." Kodlak cut the Nord woman off with a wave of his hand.

"I was getting to that," Kodlak said, a smile forming at his lips. "Shield-brothers and sisters, I'd like you to meet Skadi. She's like us, and she's the reason why I was late."

I ducked my head as I recalled chasing that sabrecat across the plains, then the Khajiit incident. I felt the woman's eyes on me again and I looked up, but kept my eyes on the young Imperial with green eyes. Another man scoffed, but I didn't move my gaze. It was the only thing keeping me from lashing out at all the Werewolves that surrounded me.

"Is she with us?" I heard the Nord woman ask.

"From now on, yes."

The woman must've narrowed her eyes at Kodlak. "And she was a Vargr before?" My eyes snapped away from the young girl and to the Nord woman with burnt-orange hair. _How dare_ _she compare me to those _monsters_!_

Kodlak seemed to sense my rage. "Something close to it, yes." Kodlak crossed his arms and the woman backed down. I had a secret satisfaction that the woman backed down to Kodlak. "I know what you're thinking, Aela; the Silver Hand will not be more of a threat simply because we welcome another of our blood into this hall. They've always been an annoying thorn in our sides, but this will not cause them to be shoved into our flesh any deeper." The woman, Aela, nodded slowly, her eyes fixated on the floor. "I understand and acknowledge your concern for your shield-brothers and sisters, Aela. Don't worry."

Aela nodded again and walked away where another man was sitting—I assumed he was a Werewolf as well. The two men that looked the same smiled as Aela walked away. It must've not been often to see her walk away like a scorned newborn.

"Welcome, shield-sister," one of the men said, nodding. "I'm Vilkas, and this is my brother Farkas." The other man, Farkas, nodded in greeting. "In the morning, we'll see what you can do with a weapon besides your claws and teeth."

I looked at Vilkas—I think—and nodded very slowly. _Weapons? Like swords, arrows, bows, and axes?_ I had barely noticed that I was rubbing my hands together, trying to wipe the dried blood from my hands. I was so absorbed in getting the dried blood off that I didn't even realize that Kodlak was staring at the only remaining Companion: that Imperial girl.

"Dad," the young woman greeted. I was shocked when the young woman had embraced Kodlak tightly, with Kodlak returning the gesture. Did she not know he was a Werewolf?

When they pulled away, I looked around the Jorrvaskr, amazed at how _big _it truly was. "You took your time," the woman said. I looked back at her and I noticed that she was nearly as tall as Kodlak. Therefore, almost as tall as me.

Kodlak laughed. "I did, and I'm sorry for not sending a message, Taryn. I was… occupied."

The young woman looked at me. "I heard." She studied me closely, and I did the same. She seemed to be around my own age, perhaps a year or two younger. "Skadi, right? I'm Taryn." She offered her hand. I took it, but with uncertainty, and shook it. "Nice to meet you," Taryn added, a smile still on her face.

Kodlak sighed. "Well then, Taryn, why don't you show Skadi to her room?" Kodlak asked.

Taryn started to nod, but stopped herself. "Dad, we don't have any more room. You recruited Ria a few weeks ago, remember?" I craned my neck and looked back at the doors.

"Ah… Right… I forgot."

I returned my gaze to the two and readied myself to say I'd be more than willing to sleep elsewhere. If it was too difficult for them, I didn't want to be a bother.

"She can bunk with me," Taryn offered, before I could get the words out. "I still have that spare bed in my room, and I barely have anything in there as it is…"

I remained quiet, observing mostly Taryn.

"That could work." Kodlak looked at me. "What do you think Skadi?"

I shrugged, unsure of how to answer, seeing as how no one really asked for my opinion before (not that people ask for my opinion when I was in the wilderness) and I looked away, taking in the expanse of the Jorrvaskr.

"If you don't want to, you just have to say," Taryn said, as if to remind me I have a choice.

I looked back at her, and then she grabbed my wrist and led me down some stairs before I could properly answer. Like Kodlak, she talked about the history of the Companions and I was, again, enthralled by the information.

She kept talking as we reached a room and Taryn opened the door, releasing my wrist. I rubbed it instinctively and looked around. It was large, but certainly not as large as the wilderness of Skyrim. There was two of everything; beds, furniture… I had used those when I had to sleep and it was raining, or I didn't feel like sleeping in the dirt.

"It's going to be a nice change to have a roommate," Taryn said as she sat on her bed. "Hiemdall tried to stay with me once, but that ended pretty quickly. He just can't keep clean…" I felt an eyebrow rise in confusion. _Hiemdall? Is he like me or is he just another human? Was he among the other Werewolves I met? _"Hiemdall's another part of the Circle," Taryn explained. Kodlak had mentioned something about the Inner Circle. "Everyone in the Circle is like you, my father included. The rest of the Companions, however, aren't, so my father wants to keep it that way. Okay?"

I felt my brow furrow. "They live in the company of Werewolves, completely oblivious and open to an attack, and your father wants to keep it that way?" I asked. Taryn seemed shocked that I just spoke. _Well, I haven't said a word since I arrived…_

Taryn shrugged, recovering deftly. "He wants to keep the peace. He trusts all the Companions, but the Circle will keep the secret because of their shared blood."

_I'm already an outsider. The Circle has shared blood. I don't. Perfect. _I walked over to the other bed and sat on the edge. My eyes remained on Taryn as I observed her. "And what does that make you?" I inquired.

"I'm Taryn. That's all that matters," she replied.

I inhaled once through my nose and the strong scent of wolf entered my mind. I noticed that Taryn frowned, but I didn't care. "You've spent so much time around Werewolves that you even smell like one. Why don't you act like the rest and be sickened by us?" _That's what's expected of someone who doesn't have the Beast Blood._

"I grew up around Werewolves," Taryn answered. "They don't scare me a bit."

I felt a grin twitching at my lips the same time the fire traveled down my spine. "I can _make _you scared, if I have to."

"That'd be hard, Skadi." Taryn's indifferent remark confused me and I opened my mouth to reply when the door opened to reveal an older Imperial woman. I looked between her and Taryn, and could easily discern the similarities between them, such as their green eyes and brown hair, although the older woman had some grey strands showing. The fire that coursed down my spine died instantly as she entered. I was able to stop a transformation, but only if it was in the beginning stages and I was in control of myself.

"Taryn!" the woman exclaimed. "Your father's back!"

"I know," Taryn replied with a smile. "Mom, this is Skadi. She's bunking with me from now on." Taryn gestured to me.

The Imperial's eyes darted to me, so I met her gaze. She smiled when she saw me and walked over. "Skadi. It's lovely to meet you," she said as she offered her hand. I shook it without hesitation, but I still wasn't too sure of her.

The Imperial woman released my hand. "I hope you get along well here. Taryn, I'll leave you some gold for tomorrow to get Skadi some armor. But lend her something for when you go out tomorrow." My heart started to thump unevenly at the thought of going out to the market. I was fine when we arrived, mostly because the market was closed and the only people I saw were guards.

"Aye, aye, mom."

I waited patiently for the Imperial to leave the room, and when the door was closed I returned my eyes to Taryn. "It wouldn't be hard at all. I'd just have to—."

"Regardless of what you do, or what you try, Skadi," Taryn said, cutting me off from finishing, "it won't work. You're a shield-sister for the Companions now. That means you're just as much my sister. You live under the same roof with me, so we're family. And you can't scare family." My eyes widened. _How can Taryn accept me as family so quickly? _Taryn noticed my wide eyes and smiled at me. "Well, good night. We've got quite the day ahead of us tomorrow. Wake me up if you need anything."

I watched as Taryn blew out her candle, leaving mine still lit, and I stared at it for a moment. I wanted to ask Taryn how she could accept me so readily, when I was _this close _to be considered a Vargr. But before I had the chance, Taryn had burrowed under the covers and her breathing evened out.

* * *

**Turdas 16 Second Seed 4E 199 2:05 AM**

I had been laying on the bed for nearly six hours without sleep. My inner wolf wanted to come out but I was stuck in this room, confined to it until morning. I didn't like how the bed felt either. It was too soft. I sat on the ground for a bit, getting perhaps a little bit over half-an-hour of sleep.

Sighing, I silently got to my feet and walked to the door, only to stop when I heard someone groaning. "Skadi?" I turned back and saw Taryn propping herself up on her elbow. "What're you doing up? It's two in the morning."

I looked at her, contemplating whether or not I should lie and say, "I'm going for a walk" or if I should say, "I'm going hunting". "I'm going out," I replied.

Taryn rubbed her eyes, but she didn't get up before I was already out the door. My eyes were darting all around the lower level of the Jorrvaskr, but because of my inattentiveness, I bumped into someone and I fell back on my arse.

"Watch where you're going!" It was the woman from before. Her eyes were a bright silver, and I had a hunch she had just returned from a hunt. "It's you. The new-blood."

I stood up, feeling a growl rising. My inner wolf wanted to challenge her, but before I could respond, someone was gripping my wrist. Taryn. "Aela," she regarded the Nord woman with a nod.

"Taryn," Aela replied as she stalked past us and into her own room.

When Aela was gone I relaxed and Taryn sighed, rubbing her eyes. "Skadi, you can't go out tonight." I frowned. "Once you have proper equipment, I'm sure my dad will allow you to leave Jorrvaskr whenever you please. But you need to make sure you come back."

I nodded. Taryn tilted her head. "You don't talk much do you?" I shrugged, grinning when Taryn groaned. "Come on. I noticed that you're not exactly comfortable with the bed." I shook my head. "No worries, you'll get used to it. Feel free to sleep on the floor or wherever you feel comfortable."

"There's really no use in talking when you're in the wild," I said. Taryn jumped at my voice. "Unless you want travelers to think you've lost your mind."

Taryn smiled at me. "I-I suppose that's true." She hadn't really been expecting a response.

I smiled as I walked with her, despite my inner wolf wanting to go out and hunt. "Thank-you, Taryn, for letting me stay with you and your family."

Taryn glanced at me for a moment. "You didn't have one before? I mean, my dad said that you were close to a Vargr, but…"

I crossed my arms. "My family abandoned me when they realized what I was. They wanted nothing to do with a _monster _for a child."

Taryn rubbed her head. "Is that how you see yourself? A monster?"

I shrugged. "Some days, yes. Other days, no."

Taryn smiled as we walked back into her room. I noticed that she looked about ready to collapse on the floor, so I awkwardly placed my arm around her shoulders and guided her to her bed. "Thanks…" Taryn mumbled as she fell asleep; I covered her with her blanket as best as I could.

"You're welcome," I replied as I walked back over to my own bed and placed my hands on my hips, staring at it. A _bed_. I'd have to get used to the new concept. Same deal with the whole, "Companion" thing. I slid into the bed and covered myself up. It was different from sleeping as a wolf and waking up as a human. Just as warm, but… different.

But I felt uneasy as I thought about tomorrow. I'd be around others... in daylight. It'd be new to me, and I was hoping I could handle it. _Get it together Skadi! You're a wolf through-and-through! You survived the first change, you survived two years under Tralen, and you survived seven years on your own! How hard could one day at the market be?_


	4. Chapter 3 - So Far, So Good

Chapter Three:

So Far, So Good

**Loredas 26 Evening Star 4E 190 11:30PM**

_"Wake up, whelp!" Tralen growled as he kicked my side. "Time to hunt." I whimpered, which resulted in another kick to my side. Slowly, I opened my eyes and pulled the furs over my body tightly._

_After my first transformation, my clothes were destroyed and I didn't like it when Tralen had watched me when he tracked me down near the White River after I had transformed back._

_My heart started to thump unevenly at the mention of hunting again. It hurt, Gods, did it hurt. It felt like I was being ripped apart by ice wolves, sabrecats, and giants all at once. "I-I'm not hungry," I replied as I sat up and scurried away from the large Redguard. My stomach snarled in disagreement._

_Snarling at me, he gripped my ankle roughly, and I screamed as he dragged me across the rough cave floor. "You don't have a choice, whelp. It's nearly midnight and there's plenty of prey to choose from." I shook, unable to say a word and Tralen narrowed his eyes at me. "If you don't transform, _I will make you_!"_

_My eyes snapped to his gold ones. "Like how you made me drink your blood—?!" I yelped as hot tears streamed down my face. My cheek was stinging from the impact of his large hand and I didn't need to touch it to know that it was red._

_"I blessed you with the Beast Blood. You're stronger, faster, better than you were before!" I looked at him, my eyes red and puffy from being slapped. "You _will_ transform, even if I have to beat you in order for it to happen."_

_I shook as his grip on my ankle increased, my heart starting to beat erratically. I screamed as he kicked me again._

_As he kicked me, I kept screaming. I heard the distance sound of a howl. It wasn't a regular, wild wolf. This was something entirely different. Tralen turned his head, giving me the chance I needed and I scampered away, into the hiding hole I had made weeks ago. He didn't know about it—at least not yet._

_"Gods-dammit!" He turned his head back to where I was before and I could see anger flashing through his eyes. "Get back here, whelp!" He started searching for me, but I kept quiet (as quiet as my thudding heart would allow)._

_I closed my eyes, trying to find some form of safety, but I found none. "Ha!" I heard Tralen bark. My body tensed as I felt him grab my hair and yank me out of my hiding hole. "You think you can hide from me?" he growled into my ear. "You can _never _hide from me!"_

_He threw me into the center of the cave and the howls were getting nearer. "You led the Companions to us." Tralen stalked forward, his features highlighted as he walked near the smoldering fire he kept feeding every-now-and-then. "You're going to take care of them."_

_I shook my head abruptly and I regretted it as soon as I felt the embers sear my face and I finally snapped. Rather, the wolf within me snapped. With shaky hands, I tried to remove the furs from my body, failing miserably as I heard the cloth tearing and I saw Tralen grinning at me, his teeth already sharpened. The only thing I could do to blot out the mind-numbing pain was to close my eyes and pray to the Divines to make this transformation easy._

_When I opened my eyes again, I was a wolf. My arms, legs, everything hurt—my head was pounding, as if Tralen had thrown me against the stone walls of the cave like the many other times. I closed my eyes, hoping to take a moment to rest, but a low, menacing growl reached my ears and I opened my eyes to see Tralen in his Beast form staring down at me. His large, sharp white teeth bared at me—a warning and a command in one._

_As fast as I could, I got to my feet. When I was crouched on all fours, my tail between my legs, did Tralen raise his massive clawed hand and point to the entrance of the cave. I knew what he wanted, but I didn't want to hurt the Companions. I didn't do anything to them!_

_Sensing my hesitation, Tralen had opened his maw, clamped his teeth around the scruff of my neck, and shook me roughly until I yelped in submission. He released me, licking his muzzle as I caught the crimson that still lined it. I could feel the warm liquid matting my fur and I didn't like it. It reminded me too much of when he made me drink his blood._

_Barking harshly at me, Tralen shoved me towards the entrance of the cave, biting my haunch in a second warning. Shaking as I walked out of the cave, I surveyed the forest around the cave and sniffed the air. If those howls were the Companions, they were upwind from me and I couldn't smell them._

_I lifted my ears and listened intently, however, I heard a twig snap. Turning my head, I saw the massive wolf looming over the entrance of the cave, its gold eyes narrowed in confusion. The Werewolf snarled at me and I barked back (feeling pathetic while I did); prompting the Werewolf to jump down from its perch and landed on me._

_I clawed at its chest, feeling smug when I heard it howl in agony and remove itself from me. I scrambled to my feet and circled it carefully, my teeth bared, a constant growl escaping into the wilderness, echoing through the forest. When I was behind it, I leapt and sank my teeth into its hind leg._

_It took a few seconds, but I tasted the Werewolf's blood and my own mind started to fog with the bloodlust. I was still too young to fully control it, but it never stopped me from trying. I clamped my jaw tighter on the Werewolf's hind leg as the bloodlust clouded my mind, the adrenaline was coursing through my body and I craved more._

_I tore a chunk of flesh from the Werewolf's leg and it howled in agony. I didn't let up. I kept biting, kept ripping. Eventually, I had sunk my claws into the Werewolf's stomach and slashed at it until my claws were a bright crimson. _The throat,_ the dark voice growled in my mind._

_With a swipe of my claw, I had slashed the Werewolf in the face, making the Werewolf turn its head, leaving its neck completely exposed. I felt my lips part over my muzzle, exposing them to the cold night air, and I lowered my head as my jaw clamped around the Werewolf's throat._

_When the bloodlust was cleared, I observed the (now dead) Werewolf I was fighting (or feasting off of) and my eyes widened as I took in the corpse below me. It wasn't a wolf anymore. It was a man. A man that looked familiar to me._

_Snow-white hair, snow-white beard, wide silver eyes, and war paint on the right side of his face; under his eye consumed my vision. The gaping hole in the Nord's throat, chest, and stomach was the first thing that you'd see. There was a pool of blood near his leg. Looking down, there was a huge gash in his leg, the flesh (and bone) were ripped away, as if they were pieces of parchment._

_"Well done, whelp," Tralen said as he walked out from the cave, in his human form. "You killed the Harbinger of those glorified hounds in Whiterun." My eyes rested on the corpse, blood spattered the once green forest floor. I licked my muzzle as the bitter taste of blood traveled down my throat._

_One thought was running through my mind:_

_I had killed Kodlak Whitemane._

* * *

**Turdas 16 Second Seed 4E 199 9:25AM**

I screamed as I shot upwards into a sitting position. My covers were tossed everywhere; one of the covers had a nice slash through the dark crimson cloth. I brought my hands up to my face and I felt my shoulders moving up and down erratically. Hot tears traveled down my cheeks and dripped onto the bed. Slowly, I lifted my head enough and examined my hands. _Hands, they were still hands—but why is there a slash in the covers? _I buried my face again, groaning and whimpering.

Keeping my face in my hands, I registered that my forehead was clammy and sweaty. No doubt from the nightmare I just endured. "By the Divines," I murmured hoarsely. Even my _voice_ was distorted! Running a hand through my hair, I started to wonder if I had not started to transform in my sleep. It wouldn't have been the first time either. I'd transformed many times while I slept; Tralen had told me it was because I was weak, because I couldn't fight it.

Looking down, I was relieved that I was still in the tattered clothes that I had fallen asleep in. Sighing, I felt my heart slowing down, my mind starting to focus on where I was. _I'm at the Jorrvaskr in Whiterun, Kodlak—the Harbinger—offered me a place among them. _Kodlak! My eyes snapped to the door and I made to get up and make sure that Tralen didn't get to him, when I felt a small hand on my forearm.

"Skadi," a familiar, soft voice chimed, "are you okay?"

My eyes searched for the source of the noise, only to feel a hand gently guide my face to the Imperial woman—the woman that Taryn had called "Mom" earlier. Her green eyes were filled with worry; however, they were also soft with compassion. She waited patiently for an answer.

Afraid to use my voice, I nodded slowly. I wiped my eyes and nose, inhaling as I did so, and my eyes widened when I caught the faintest whiff of lavender. "What's that smell?" I asked.

The Imperial woman reached over, my eyes following her every move, and grabbed an empty bottle. "It's a potion that Kodlak had conjured up many years ago. It helped many times when we had new Circle members that couldn't control themselves after drinking the Beast Blood." She patted my arm gently.

"W-Why did you use it on me?" I rasped, my throat suddenly dry.

The Imperial woman sighed and looked at me. "You were transforming in your sleep, Skadi," the Imperial woman explained as she brushed my russet-colored hair aside so she could look at me. "Thankfully Taryn woke up and noticed that you were starting to transform and ran to get Kodlak."

I buried my face in my hands again. "I'm sorry," I murmured. I wanted to say something else, _anything _to make up for what had happened to the covers, when the Imperial woman scoffed and waved her hand.

"No worries, Skadi. You're not the first Werewolf to walk within these halls. Aela was the worst after her transformation. We had to replace her belongings almost every-other-day!" I grinned. "I don't think we've formally been introduced. My name's Elana," the Imperial, Elana, said. "You obviously saw the resemblance between Taryn and I?"

"Yes." I brought my hand to my throat. "Wh-Why am I so thirsty?" I asked.

Elana tapped the bottle again. "Wolfsbane Elixir. It's almost like a calming spell in a bottle." Elana poured some water from a pitcher, into a tankard, then she handed it to me. "It's a side-effect that Kodlak is trying to get rid of. A glass of water will take care of that thirst."

"But it's only created for Werewolves?" I took the tankard and sipped slowly.

Elana shrugged. "I guess so, I mean, it _could _be used for others." I nodded. Carefully, Elana had pushed my hair behind my ear and made a clicking noise with her tongue. "Tilma is going to have her hands full with you, my dear."

I was going to answer Elana, but the sound of someone running outside made me stop. "Mom!" My eyes darted to the door—to Taryn—and I relaxed (somewhat). "Is she—oh thank the Divines!" The relief in Taryn's voice was obvious when she spotted me.

Elana stood up, embracing her daughter. Taryn was taller than Elana, probably because of her Nord blood. Elana pulled away, patting Taryn's cheek as she did so. "Do you think you could help Skadi clean up a little bit? I'll see if Tilma has a spare set of clothes ready for Skadi after she's done cleaning."

"Of course," Taryn smiled.

She kissed Elana's cheek, Elana returned the gesture, and left promptly after doing so.

"Now," Taryn said as she looked at me, that smile still in place. "Let's get you cleaned up, all right?"

I gulped as I stood up, craning my head to look at the damage I had caused last night. "S-Sorry," I murmured. I was more upset that Taryn would've been hurt if she had not been smart to get her father.

Taryn shrugged. "It happens." She waved me forward, walking out of the room as she did so, and I followed her into the large hall. "Most of the Companions are upstairs eating or training. Some might still be out on contracts so you'll meet them later—hey!" Taryn exclaimed, making me jump. "Maybe you'll _finally _get to meet Hiemdall today! He had a contract somewhere in the Pale and is supposed to come back today."

"Okay," I replied as Taryn guided me to a separate area of Jorrvaskr. She pushed the double wooden doors aside and I saw a few wash basins, some racks for hanging clothing on, and a few chairs were scattered about the room. Observing the room closely, the steam was rising up from behind wooden walls that seemed to hide the source of the steam.

"Ah!" a feathery voice chimed. "Taryn, I thought that was you!"

My eyes rested on an elderly Nord woman with sharp silver hair (the color reminding me of my own silver eyes), a withered face, and a warm smile on her lips.

"Hey, Tilma, I'm glad you're here. I'm just helping the newest member, Skadi," Taryn explained, gesturing to me. "You obviously heard of how she was brought to us?"

Tilma walked over and picked my hand up. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Skadi. I hope you find your stay here comfortable." She nodded her head at Taryn, probably answering Taryn's question about how I was brought to the Companions.

"T-Thank you." Tilma released my hand.

"There's plenty of tubs to choose from," Tilma grinned. I walked down the aisle and picked the stall that was farthest from the door. I didn't know why I chose that spot, I just did.

After removing my clothes, I lowered myself into the warm water, a sigh escaping my mouth as the water relaxed my muscles. I grinned as I thought that I heard my inner wolf sigh at the same time.

"Tilma," I heard Taryn say from behind the wall that obscured the tub. "Is there a spare set of underclothes and a spare set of clothes for Skadi? My father, no doubt, loaned her what she was wearing when she arrived."

"Of course, dear, I'll get those right away for Skadi." The doors opened and closed as either Tilma or Taryn left the room. I didn't know—or care at the moment. The water was warmer, much warmer than the White River and the many small or large lakes that I swam in when I had to clean.

I lowered myself into the warm water, until the only visible feature was my head. It felt as though the water was washing away nine years of fear, pain, and every other emotion that I could think of.

* * *

**Turdas 16 Second Seed 4E 199 12:26PM**

Frantically, my eyes darted around the small market that was stationed in the Plains District. There were many people about, all oblivious to the danger that stood before them. The temptation was there, it was always there. It's been there for nine years.

The children that were darting in and out of the crowd made me uneasy, I was afraid that if they bumped into me, I might lose it, but I had to remind myself that I could do this. I felt my hands brush some of my hair aside (Taryn had shown me how to pull it back into a ponytail so that it wouldn't constantly fall in my face), a subtle habit of showing my nervousness.

"Hey," Taryn muttered as she touched my arm, "you okay? You look a little pale."

"F-Fine," I stammered. My hands ran up and down my arms, feeling the rough wool fabric of the dark blue tunic that Tilma had left me. She had also left me a pair of black trousers (ones that fit me) and a pair of brown leather boots.

_"I appreciate that you'd give me these, but I'm okay—."_

_Taryn crossed her arms. "You need to wear boots while walking around, Skadi. Most of the establishments here won't allow you to enter if you don't have _something _on your feet."_

_"Dirt is something," I replied and Taryn rolled her eyes at my remark._

I frowned at the memory. I didn't mind wearing the boots; it just felt weird to me. "Come on! Let's see what Carlotta is selling today!" Taryn grabbed my wrist, leading me to a stand. I sniffed the air (again, out of habit), the scent of vegetables and bread reached my nose. My stomach growled quietly in response.

"I've just about had it with you," I muttered under my breath. Taryn didn't seem to hear me. She was entirely absorbed in looking at the food that was for sale.

Carlotta Valentia was a young Imperial woman, with brown hair and light brown eyes. She looked to be perhaps about four or five years older than me, but the way she carried herself, she seemed older than that.

My eyes wandered from each vendor. I was aware that Taryn had started talking to Carlotta about a Bard at the Bannered Mare Inn that was giving Carlotta some trouble, but my eyes rested on a gold trinket with a red gem in the middle of the trinket.

I felt myself wander away from Taryn. Moments later, I was observing the trinket closely. "Hello there, dear." I looked up and saw another elderly Nord woman wearing a belted tunic. She had a weathered look about her, soft eyes, and an inviting smile. "Are you interested in anything?"

I tapped the trinket and the Nord woman picked it up and handed it to me. "You have good taste, my friend. The metal is gold." _Gold? But wasn't that used to buy and sell things?_ "The gem you see in the middle is a ruby. Very expensive."

I handed the trinket back, smiling at the older woman. "Thank you for letting me look at it…?"

"Fralia Gray-Mane," the woman, Fralia, replied in a warm tone. "May I know your name?"

"Skadi," I replied. "May I know how much that trinket it?" I asked.

Fralia giggled, making my face redden. "It's a necklace, Skadi, you wear it around your throat and it rests against your chest or shirt." Fralia made a point by putting the necklace on and I found myself admiring the necklace.

"There you are!" I jumped at the sound of Taryn's voice. "I look away for five seconds and you wander off!" Taryn smiled as she looked at Fralia. "Fralia," Taryn said as she politely regarded the Nord woman. "Has Skadi been staying out of trouble?"

"Yes, your young friend here has been keeping me company." Fralia removed the necklace and placed it back in the box that it was originally placed in. "She has a very good eye for jewelry."

Taryn looked at the necklace then me. "I'd like that necklace," Taryn stated as she handed Fralia the coin purse that Elana had given Taryn. I still had my coin purse (I was embarrassed that I didn't know how to use the gold in the purse), and the heavy weight of the gold was like a constant echo in my mind.

Without a second thought, Fralia had wrapped the necklace tightly and handed it to Taryn. "Thank-you," Fralia said as Taryn made to hand me the wrapped box; I put my hands up quickly.

"You purchased that, it's yours," I said as I took a step back.

Rolling her eyes, Taryn flipped my hand and placed the small box in my palm. "It's a gift, from me to you. Think of it as a way of me saying, 'Welcome to the Companions'."

"Oh," Fralia exclaimed, her eyes wide when she took the two of us in. "You're a Companion? When did you arrive?"

"Last night, ma'am," I replied promptly.

Fralia smiled again, the wrinkles around her face seemed to have disappeared when she did smile. "Well then, Skadi, I hope you find your stay in Whiterun comfortable." She winked at me. "Perhaps you can keep Taryn over here…" She gestured to Taryn. "Out of trouble?"

I shrugged. "I can try."

Taryn playfully punched my shoulder. "Thanks, Fralia, we'll see you around." At that, Taryn led me away from Fralia and we browsed the other vendors (for some reason Taryn avoided the meat stand). As we continued to browse, I couldn't help but smile.

So far, everything was going okay. Nothing was triggering my wolf and the crowded market didn't bother me as much as I thought it would.


	5. Chapter 4 - A Free Reading

Chapter Four:

A Free Reading

**Turdas 16 Second Seed 4E 199 1:45PM**

"You're doing exceptionally well with the crowd, Skadi," Taryn remarked after I had paid the vendor for a small bushel of carrots.

I shrugged, placing the carrots in the sack that Elana insisted Taryn carry with her. "I'll admit it's easier than what I thought." It _was _easy, but the wolf was slightly awake and curious of the new surroundings. It was distracting.

Smiling, Taryn gave me a more detailed tour of Whiterun, pointing out a few shops and homes. "That's Breezehome," Taryn said, pointing to what appeared to be a long-abandoned home. "No one lives there at the moment."

"Interesting," I murmured.

"And that," Taryn continued, gesturing to the large building across the road from Breezehome, "is the Drunken Huntsman. It doubles as a tavern and a hunting goods store. That's where Aela takes most of her game, and to Hulda if she's requesting anything."

"Hulda?" I asked.

"She's the owner of the Bannered Mare. Maybe you'll meet her later. She always has contracts for the Companions." Taryn smiled. "She mostly requests venison and, on the off chance, some sabrecat." My eyes lit up at the news. I'd _definitely _have to talk to Hulda about hunting for her.

I grunted as something small hit me in the back of my legs, making me fall onto my knees. "What in Oblivion—?!" I propped myself up on my elbows, eyes narrowed.

A little Nord boy with blonde hair and blue eyes scrambled off of me. "S-Sorry ma'am!" he apologized quickly. "I was just running from Braith."

I slowly got to my feet.

"Lars, is Braith giving you trouble again?" Taryn chided, a smile on her face.

The Nord boy, Lars, nodded sheepishly. "I told her to leave me alone, but she won't listen!"

Rolling her eyes, Taryn placed a hand on Lars' shoulder. "Let's go talk to her then, all right? You coming Skadi?"

I nodded. We walked around the Plains district for a time before Taryn decided that Braith was probably in the Wind district. Hurrying up the steps, the view from the top was (for lack of a better word) amazing, and I had seen a lot of amazing views living out in the wild.

"There she is!" Taryn grinned, pointing to a Redguard girl sitting under the large (dead-looking) tree. The three of us swiftly walked over to the young Redguard girl. She looked up at the sound of our approach, her eyes widening as they took Taryn and I in, but they narrowed at the sight of Lars.

"Braith," Lars began weakly, "I… I've come to tell you that I'm not afraid of you anymore."

A smile started to twitch at my lips.

Braith scoffed. "Don't make me laugh, baby Battle-Born! You'll be afraid of me 'til the day I kill you!" She stood up.

A growl was rising in my throat. Taryn must've sensed my tension. "Control yourself, Skadi!" she hissed.

Lars stood tall. "You... You're wrong!" he declared. "You can't hurt me anymore!"

It looked like Braith was only a few more words away from having a fit of laughter. I clenched and unclenched my hands.

"Oh, no? So you're gonna fight back if I punch you? Huh? You're gonna hit a girl?" Taryn remained eerily quiet. I didn't know why, but I hoped she would speak up. I wasn't entirely sure if I was capable of speech anymore.

Lars' face fell slightly. "Well, no… I… I mean—."

Braith grinned triumphantly. "That's what I thought. Now get out of my way, baby. I got things to do." Braith stuck her nose up in the air and began marching away.

"See?" Lars muttered to us. "She won't ever stop!"

Taryn knelt on the ground. "I'll take you back to your home, all right? Skadi, will you meet me in the front of Breezehome? We can get your armor after I return." Lars looked at me, smiling in a silent greeting.

"I'll… be at the market." My eyes lingered on the route that Braith had taken.

"Sounds good," Taryn said, standing up. "Ready to go, kiddo?" she asked Lars. He clasped her hand as the two of them walked down the steps.

I, however, had a different idea in mind. Sniffing the air slightly, I caught Braith's trail and found her hiding behind one of the homes. "I need to have a chat with you," I told the Redguard girl. She jumped at my voice, shaking slightly.

"W-What about?"

"About Lars Battle-Born. I want you to leave him alone, got it?" I didn't care that I was talking to a little girl. Regardless of age, it was wrong to torment someone for their own _amusement_.

Braith stood up, brushing the front of her dress off. "And who's gonna make me? _You_?"

I crouched down so I was eye-level with her. She flinched when her dark eyes rested on my silver ones. "I've been all over Skyrim, Braith. If you don't stop this, I'll have no problem sending you to Honorhall Orphanage," I bluffed.

"You wouldn't do that. My parents wouldn't allow it!"

I tilted my head playfully. "Well then, if that's how you see this situation…" I stood up, crossing my arms. "I'll have a chat with your parents. I don't think they'd like hearing about how their 'princess' was tormenting a young, _defenseless _boy."

Braith tensed. "Okay, okay! I'll leave him alone! I was just kidding around. Besides, if he'd only kiss me, I wouldn't have to beat him up all the time…"

I grinned. "I'm glad we have an understanding." Without saying another word, I walked away, towards the market.

I was sitting outside of Belethor's General Goods observing the market and the people that were out and about by the time Taryn spotted me. I had seen Braith pass through once or twice, but she didn't make eye contact with me. I hope I got my point across.

"Skadi, there you are!" Taryn grinned, jogging over to where I was sitting. "Sorry it took so long. Lars' mother loves to chat sometimes."

Shrugging, I stood up. "No worries. I don't think Braith is going to be a problem anymore," I stated plainly.

Taryn froze. "What did you say to her?!"

"I just said that if she doesn't leave Lars alone, I'll have a nice chat with her parents—or I'd send her to Honorhall Orphanage." Taryn looked pale. "She called my bluff on the Orphanage though." Taryn relaxed.

"By the Nine, you nearly gave me a heart-attack!"

"My apologies. Now, you said something about getting armor for me?" I said.

"Yeah. Adrianne should have a set of leather armor ready for you. It's light, so you don't have to worry about the extra weight."

I started walking down the road. "It's not the extra weight I'm worried about. I want to know if I can get it off before a transformation takes place."

"I'm sure Adrianne can take care of that little problem at the forge. You ever forge any armor before?"

I rolled my eyes. "I lived in the wild for nine years, Taryn. Forging metal to make armor isn't something you do out there. But I _did_ trade armor for coin when I was brave enough to venture into a city."

Taryn snickered. "I think this is the most you've talked since you arrived!" Before I could reply, Taryn continued, "Adrianne is really nice; she's on good terms with Eorlund at the Skyforge…" I raised an eyebrow. "Eorlund is the man who makes all of the Companions' swords, shields, armor—basically everything you need to survive out in the wild. I can show you where the Skyforge is when we get back _and _after you show Vilkas what you're capable of with a sword."

"Great," I replied dully.

Taryn had taken a few strides ahead of me, whistling a tune of some sort. I didn't remark about it. She was either pleased with herself that she was helping me, or she was just happy.

Taryn stopped abruptly, making me bump into her. "Um," she mumbled, spinning around to face me, "let's go the other way." She moved her head when I did so I couldn't see what made her stop in her tracks.

Before I could object, Taryn grabbed my wrist, leading me through the market again and down a side road that passed a few smaller homes. Frowning, I sniffed the air and the slightest whiff of meat reached my nose. I shook my head, letting Taryn lead me past a home with an older woman sitting on a bench.

Just as I opened my mouth to ask Taryn why she had us go around the meat vendor, a soft, feathery laughed reached my ears. "Hello there, dears," the woman greeted with a grin.

Taryn stopped walking, her green eyes full of uncertainty. "Hello, Olava. This is Skadi."

The old woman, Olava, nodded with a smile. "A pleasure to meet you, Skadi." She offered her hand. I shook it, making her tense for a moment. "Oh my!" Taryn and I shared a glance. "Why don't I give you a reading for free, hm?" Olava offered, lowering her hand. She wore a belted tunic, a hat, and it looked like a pair of regular boots. She certainly didn't stand out.

I shrugged in reply. "I-I guess so," I murmured, walking forward.

Olava immediately grabbed my hand again. She started studying it with her fingers while her eyes rested on my face. While studying me, I realized her eyes were blue, but fading slowly over time.

"Oh, you're a difficult one to read, my dear." I remained indifferent. "However, I'm getting this feeling of hostility, anger, and… perhaps, fear?" Olava closed her eyes in deep concentration. Her face turned into a scowl, her brow furrowing in confusion. "I'm also sensing bloodlust." Her eyes opened to study me closely. "Along with desperation and dominance."

She was sensing my wolf. It wanted out. It wanted to feed. _Why? It's not a full moon tonight… is it?_ The desperation was coming back from being in the large crowd earlier…

Olava's eyes narrowed as she continued to stare at me. "I also sense an aura around you." Her tone was softer, almost otherworldly. "It's crimson in color, but it's swirling around you." Again, her brow furrowed. "I also sense another presence—." Olava recoiled slightly, as if the wolf had just taken over my mind and lunged at her.

"Thanks for the reading," I replied, readying myself to turn away.

Olava cleared her throat. "I also sensed pain."

I craned my neck to look at the old woman. "Come on, Skadi; keep going," Taryn encouraged me. "Just to keep the old woman happy. Plus, it's not every day that she gives out _free _readings."

Huffing (and growling quietly), I faced Olava. She was sitting down again, her hands resting in her lap. "Take a seat, dear." She patted the space next to her. Reluctantly, I sat down, and Olava grasped my hand in both of hers. "Your life has been full of darkness for so long," she stated, tracing my palm again. "But even something as menial as a candle can bring light to darkness."

My brow furrowed. "What's that suppose to mean?"

Olava didn't answer. Instead, she continued tracing my palm. "Another is in danger of treading the path you did. In saving them, you save yourself."

"What in Oblivion are you talking about?" I growled.

Either Olava was ignoring me or deep in concentration. "There's a _third _presence now. Much smaller, much more unsure… It's—It's a little girl," Olava clarified. "She's scared, alone, weak… _abandoned_—."

I snarled under my breath, ripping my hand from the old woman's grip. "Thanks," I said quietly. I began walking away, towards the main gates when Olava continued.

"Do not see them as dead, despite that it is how they see you. Rather, see them as living without true life—without true purpose now," I heard Olava whisper. "The Eight are sure to guide you to them—or them to you—once more. Expect the unexpected."

Shaking my head, I stalked away from the woman, arms crossed. "Old hag," I muttered.

I walked until I was leaning against the side of Breezehome, out of sight from Taryn and Olava. _"But even something as menial as a candle can bring light to darkness." _What was that suppose to mean? And who was this person I was suppose to stop from "treading the path I had"?

"Skadi!" Taryn skidded a little bit in the dirt, her green eyes wide with curiosity. "That was interesting. What did Olava mean when she said, 'Do not see them as dead, despite that it is how they see you'?"

I glared at Taryn. "That's my business, not yours. Leave. It. Be," I growled, making Taryn tense at the venom that laced my voice. Walking past Taryn, I poked my head around the side of Breezehome, only to see Olava staring at me, a ghost of a smile on her lips.

Shaking my head, I pulled back. _Now I know why Taryn was so uncertain about that woman. _"Let's just get to Adrianne and back to Jorrvaskr."

* * *

**Turdas 16 Second Seed 4E 199 2:56PM**

"The old man said to have a look at you, so let's do this," Vilkas stated plainly. "Just have a few swings at me so I can see your form." I bit my lip. "Don't worry. I can take it."

I drew my iron sword and held it in front of me, my legs spaced evenly apart. I'd seen enough Bandits do the same when I had attacked their camps. Vilkas had removed his own steel sword, along with a steel shield.

"You can do it, Skadi!" Taryn encouraged from behind me. She was sitting against one of the wooden posts, watching Vilkas and I.

Swallowing, I swung my sword at Vilkas. "Good!" Vilkas grunted when my sword connected with his shield. I swung again, hitting the shield again and recoiling slightly. "All right, that's enough." I sheathed my sword, crossing my arms as I did so. "Not bad. Next time won't be so easy." Vilkas rubbed his face for a moment. "But you could still use some training. My brother Farkas will help you. He's a good trainer for one-handed weapons."

"Thank-you for the information," I said.

"If you ever find yourself wanting to try the bow and arrow, talk to Aela. She didn't get her title, 'Huntress' by being up-front with the animals and beasts of Skyrim," Vilkas continued, a smile on his face.

Nodding, Vilkas walked away. When he was gone, I adjusted the leather armor again. It was different from the tunics and trousers I was used to wearing, but not so uncomfortable that I couldn't get used to it.

"Skadi!" Taryn shouted joyfully. "There's someone else you have to meet yet!"

Turning my head, I saw Taryn walking towards me with a large Nord man with blonde hair and silver eyes, who had has arm locked playfully around her neck. He wore fur armor that exposed his broad Nord chest, and showed-off a few scars in the process.

"Hello there. Name's Hiemdall," the Nord, Hiemdall, greeted with a smile.

"Skadi," I replied.

"A pleasure to meet you." Hiemdall observed me for a moment once he'd released Taryn. My own wolf was doing the same. It was used to Kodlak, Vilkas, Aela, Farkas, and Skjor. But Hiemdall was new to me.

"Likewise."

Smiling, Hiemdall bid Taryn and I farewell, saying that he needed to report his successful contract to Kodlak then sleep for a bit.

"Oh!" Taryn exclaimed, hitting her face. "I almost forgot! I have to trade some things with Ri'saad."

"Ri'saad?" I asked.

Taryn nodded. "Yeah. He's really nice, and I think you'll like him. Let's go!" Grabbing my hand, Taryn led me through the city, through the gates and down the road towards the stables. However, we stopped just before we reached the stables.

"Ri'saad," Taryn greeted. I was busy looking at the small buildings around the walls that surrounded Whiterun. Off in the distance I could see a watchtower. "Sorry I'm late. I had to help Skadi. She's the newest member of the Companions."

The wind shifted slightly, enough so that the scent entered my mind. My wolf howled with desire, and my mouth began to water. With wide (hopefully silver) eyes, I turned my head to see an older Khajiit with a mix of white, grey, and dull orange fur looking at me.

"A pleasure to meet you, Skadi," Ri'saad said, a smile on his cat-like face.

I didn't trust myself, so I settled for nodding.

"This is Atahbah. She's traveling with us," Ri'saad said, gesturing with his clawed hand to a female Khajiit with brownish-orange fur and green eyes, and wore a belted tunic.

"A pleasure, Skadi." Atahbah grinned, exposing sharp teeth. I was shaking slightly.

"I'm Ma'randru-jo," a Khajiit with almost pure white fur said, his tail flicking back and forth. "May you walk on warm sands." I noted that he wore regular clothes.

I swallowed, trying not to breathe in their scents. I'd have to leave tonight and hunt. Hunt far from Whiterun. "A… pleasure," I muttered through gritted teeth.

A female Khajiit wearing steel armor walked over to me, offering her hand. "I'm Khayla, I'm the one that protects this caravan from any attack. I hope we don't end up clashing swords." A few tense seconds passed before Khayla lowered her arm, a frown on her face.

"Hey," Taryn muttered. "Where's Do'Rak?" Taryn glanced at me. "Do'Rak's one of the other protectors for this caravan," she informed me.

The four Khajiit lowered their ears. "We were camped along the trade road that would take us to Falkreath. Khayla was resting. Her shift to watch the camp was after Do'Rak's. Do'Rak was just about to wake Khayla when he had heard something in the bushes…" Ri'saad paused. "He went to investigate, but the next thing we knew, we heard him screaming for help as snarls and growls filled the air."

I swallowed. The wolf was awake and it wanted out. _Now_. _I _had killed Do'Rak. Do'Rak was the same Khajiit that I had killed the day that Kodlak had found me.

"Did you find him?" Taryn asked, oblivious to the fact that with me in the presence of the Khajiit my wolf was clawing at me.

Ri'saad nodded. "Khayla did in the late afternoon, under a tree. He was lying in a pool of his own blood, his chest, stomach, and throat ripped to shreds. We didn't know what could've done such a thing, until Atahbah reminded us of the Savage."

"'The Savage'?" Taryn repeated.

Khayla nodded. "There's a legend of a Werewolf that lives in the wilderness of Skyrim. You know, there used to be a lot more caravans around Skyrim, but this 'Savage of Skyrim', as they called it, attacked almost all of them. Now there's only Ri'saad's caravan and two others." She flicked her tail. "No other Khajiit are brave enough to venture the roads of Skyrim. They all reside in Riften or Windhelm—well, not many live in Windhelm with Jarl Ulfric, and his racial views of our kind."

I grabbed Taryn's arm. "I need to go," I growled.

Taryn nodded. "All right, head back to Jorrvaskr I'll trade with Ri'saad and see if I can get anymore information on this 'Savage of Skyrim' so I can tell my dad."

_Oh, your dad knows the Savage of Skyrim already._ "Sounds like a plan."

Without acknowledging the catkin, I ran up the road, shoved the gates open, and continued sprinting to Jorrvaskr. Why? Why the Khajiit? I was aware I had a nickname; I'd heard it all over when Bandits would camp and tell stories to scare their fellow Bandits.

_Feel proud of yourself, Skadi. You were around four Khajiit and you didn't transform, _I thought to myself. However, I'd need to hunt tonight.


	6. Chapter 5 - Another Accord of Madness

Chapter Five:

Accords of Madness

**Turdas 1 Midyear 4E 199 5:12PM**

A little over two weeks passed since my arrival in Whiterun. It was still strange to me, waking up in a bed instead of the forests. I admit: I do miss the wilderness some nights. But hunting every night helped quell that desire for freedom… most of the time.

I'd gone to the market countless times since that first day; each time was easier than the last. Fralia always had something to tell me about Whiterun and its history, including a crash-course on the two prominent families in Whiterun: the Battle-Borns, and the Grey-Manes. I explained that I had helped Lars Battle-Born, so she smiled and say that I did the right thing. She laughed at the look on my face, telling me that I was too polite for my own good.

Olava though… She was another story entirely. I had passed her home again, wanting to survey Breezehome, when she reminded me about "expecting the unexpected". I politely greeted her then left a few short seconds after. Ever since she sensed my wolf, I hadn't exactly been too keen on returning to her for another reading.

I even played a game of tag with Lars and Braith (who seemed to have settled their differences rather quickly… or at least had a truce). After I had chased them around the city for a while, I had stopped, feigning exhaustion. Lars, noticing that I was taking a breather, asked if I wanted to play hide and seek instead and that he would be the seeker.

Regrettably, I had to refuse. There was just a bad memory with that game. A memory of searing pain that seemed never to dim in my mind, no matter how hard I've tried to forget it.

Unconsciously, I rubbed my arms a few times. There was a full moon—or full moons—nearing. When I had woken up this morning, my blood began to burn; a warning that there was a full moon nearing. I wondered if being among civilization at all would have weakened the wolf, but it was only a hopeful thought.

Taryn, who I was used to seeing with a grin on her face in the early morning, looked strangely sullen and pale. I thought that, maybe, the Companions could feel the moon-call too, and if she was worried for her dad and Hiemdall, and everyone else. When I asked her if she was all right, she offered a weak smile, but said nothing and left.

I hadn't seen her since this morning, so maybe I was off the mark; maybe she got some bad news from her mother, who was also quiet in the day, and just wasn't ready to talk about it.

Inhaling deeply, the scents of fires, the grass below the outpost where I was standing, and the smells from the Bannered Mare blended together perfect in a tantalizingly sweet scent. Dinner would be ready soon. Like my move from the wild to Whiterun, eating with others while in my human form was something I was adjusting to. It took everything within my power to not wolf down my meal in front of them, but on the occasion that I did, Taryn would join in and make it a contest.

Sighing as I crossed my arms, I made my way back inside Jorrvaskr, into the Living Quarters, and into my shared bedroom. Taryn was _still _gone. After removing my armor and sword, I rested on my bed, attempting to catch a few minutes of sleep.

* * *

**Turdas 1 Midyear 4E 199 5:55PM**

Sleep eluded me for the moment, so there I sat, bored out of my mind. I'd go hunting tonight (hopefully Hiemdall would be up for a little run into Hjaalmarch), but if he wasn't up for it, I'd be more than glad to hunt wherever he wanted. As long as I hunted, ran, and killed something tonight, I didn't care where or what I hunted.

Swinging my legs over the side of my bed, I turned my head to see an extensive collection of books on Taryn's bookshelf. Walking over to the bookshelf, my eyes examined the bindings, hoping to find a hint at what was held within their pages.

A book with a brown leather covering caught my eyes. Taking it from the shelf, I opened the first page. "_16 Accords of Madness, Volume VI,_" I read aloud. I recalled reading one of the _Accords of Madness _a few years ago. I didn't remember which, but I read one.

Shrugging, I sat in the middle of my bed, cross-legged, book in front of me. I enjoyed reading. It was rarity in the wild, and on the off chance I _did_ get a book to read, it was either ruined or it was a Spell Tome.

_"Ever proud and boastful, Oblivion's Mad Prince stood one fifth day of mid year among the frigid peaks of Skyrim, and beckoned forth Hircine for parlay. The Huntsman God materialized, for this was his day, and the boldness of Sheogorath intrigued him._

_Wry without equal, Sheogorath holds in his realm giggling loons, flamboyant auteurs, and craven mutilators. The Mad Prince will ply profitless bargains and promote senseless bloodshed for nothing more than the joy of another's confusion, tragedy, or rage. So it was that Sheogorath had set a stage on which to play himself as rival to Hircine._

_Without haste, the coy Prince proffered his contest; each Prince was to groom a beast to meet at this place again, three years to the hour, and do fatal battle. Expressionless behind his fearsome countenance, Hircine agreed, and with naught but a dusting of snow in the drift, the Princes were gone to their realms."_

A smile twitched at my lips. I had a feeling I knew what "Beast" Hircine would bring to this contest.

_"Confident, but knowing Sheogorath for a trickster, Hircine secretly bred an abomination in his hidden realm. An ancient Daedroth he summoned, and imbued it with the foul curse of lycanthropy. Of pitch heart and jagged fang, the unspeakable horror had no peer, even among the great hunters of Hircine's sphere."_

I grinned with the knowledge of Hircine's impending victory.

_"In the third year, on the given day, Hircine returned, where Sheogorath leaned, cross-legged on a stone, whistling with idle patience. The Prince of the Hunt struck his spear to the ground, bringing forth his unnatural, snarling behemoth. Doffing his cap, sly as ever, Sheogorath stood and stepped aside to reveal a tiny, colorful bird perched atop the stone. Demurely it chirped in the bristling gusts, scarcely audible."_

I couldn't help but snicker at the Mad Prince's "savage creature". _I _was scarier than that. Hell, _Lars_ was more terrifying!

_"In a twisted, springing heap, the Daedroth was upon the stone, leaving only rubble where the boulder had been. Thinking itself victorious, the monster's bloodied maw curled into a mock grin, when a subdued song drifted in the crisp air. The tiny bird lightly hopped along the snout of the furious Daedroth. Sheogorath looked on, quietly mirthful, as the diminutive creature picked at a bit of detritus caught in scales betwixt the fiery eyes of the larger beast. With howling fury, the were-thing blinded itself trying to pluck away the nuisance. And so it continued for hours, Hircine looking on in shame while his finest beast gradually destroyed itself in pursuit of the seemingly oblivious bird, all the while chirping a mournful tune to the lonesome range."_

I winced. I didn't want to know what it felt like to claw my own face. Certainly not in this lifetime.

_"Livid, but beaten, Hircine burned the ragged corpse and withdrew to his realm, swearing in forgotten tongues. His curses still hang in those peaks, and no wayfarer tarries for fear of his wrathful aspect in those obscured heights._

_"Turning on his heel, Sheogorath beckoned the miniscule songbird to perch atop his shoulder, and strolled down the mountain, making for the warm breezes and vibrant sunsets of the Abecean coast, whistling in tune with the tiniest champion in Tamriel—."_

I heard the door to my shared room open, along with a sharp intake of breath. "By the Nine…?"

I brought my eyes up from the book to see Taryn staring at me with wide, green eyes. "Sorry," I apologized, closing the book and replacing it on the shelf in the exact same spot where I'd found it. "I should've asked."

Taryn's eyes were still wide as I walked back to my bed. "You can read…?" she muttered.

I felt an eyebrow rise. "Yes, I'm not illiterate," I replied. Taryn seemed either shocked or impressed I knew large words. "Remember? I was taken when I was ten. I have had lessons in reading and writing." I smirked. "There were just little-to-no books in the wild, and the books I _did_ find were from the dead Bandits or unlucky campers."

"Right, I forgot." Taryn blushed slightly, embarrassed.

"It's all right, but I _am_ sorry for taking your things without asking. I was just bored and I needed something to kill the time."

Getting over her initial shock, she grinned. "No worries. Feel free to read any of them—aside from _The Lusty Argonian Maid_." Taryn shuddered the same time I did. "Read it before?" she asked.

Regrettably, I nodded. "Yes. I had attacked a caravan of Khajiit when I was…" I tapped my chin in thought. "Fourteen, or… fifteen? One of the Khajiit was carrying that book and I was curious—and happy that I'd found another book."

Taryn laughed. "It wasn't something you expected?"

I shook my head. "I burned it the same night I..." I trailed off, hoping Taryn knew what I was hinting at.

She simply inclined her head. "Dinner will be ready soon; I came to let you know."

"Thanks."

* * *

**Sundas 11 Midyear 4E 199 11:45PM**

I paced incessantly. My arms, legs, my entire _being _was twitching as my blood started to burn more and more. The moons (I didn't remember their names) were full tonight. I'd thought that if I confined myself to a small space where the moons' light didn't reach, I'd be fine.

I thought wrong.

After dinner, I'd excused myself to the Living Quarters to be able to look occupied while trying to fight off the moon's pull. Taryn had muttered something about a contract that she'd accepted and bade me a brief farewell before leaving. It'd be better if she wasn't there. I didn't want another episode where I'd be transforming and she'd have to get Kodlak.

I knew there'd be a full moon soon—I'd known since the first of the month! But when Ria, an Imperial woman that was one of the newer members of the Companions, had returned from a contract, I overheard her talking with Hiemdall about how beautiful the twin moons were when they were both full. I had tensed at the news. If one moon was full, I could handle it. I could even fight the urge to transform. But with both moons full, I stood no chance.

Hiemdall noted my tension. His silver eyes had swiftly met my gaze.

_"Warn the others," he'd whispered quietly—too quietly for Ria to hear. I nodded, hurrying out the back to where Aela, Skjor, Farkas, and Vilkas were busy training._

_"We know, Vargr," Skjor had told me without acknowledging me. "My blood's been singing since I woke up. Same with the others." He'd turned to face me. "Best you stay inside, Vargr. No need to have unwanted deaths now."_

I didn't like it when Skjor called me that, but it was better than being called a "whelp", like Aela always calls me.

Now I was _forcing _myself to remain in this room. I wouldn't hunt. I wouldn't transform. I'd promised Kodlak I'd try harder in containing my inner wolf. But I knew my battle was as futile as a deer caught between a wolf and a hunter. Either way, it would lose.

_I _would lose.

I already felt my teeth sharpening, my eyes immediately shifted from the sharp silver to the gold color (which was another reason why I was confining myself), but it was the last sign of my wolf forcing itself out. My blood would _sear _in my veins, and make me experience unforeseen levels of pain before I'd cave and let the wolf take over to sate its bloodthirsty hunger.

Growling under my breath, I walked over to my dresser, removing a tunic and trousers. "By the Nine…" I grumbled, changing out of my leather armor and into the clothes. I kicked my boots off, not caring where they landed. I'd take care of them later. I shoved the door open and strode out into the main hall of the Living Quarters.

"Skadi!" Elana called. Moving my eyes to meet hers, Elana's green eyes were wide when she realized what was going on. Her lips pursed in understanding. "Go," she insisted. "I'll tell Kodlak." Without another word (or gesture), I hurried to the main level of Jorrvaskr.

"Skadi!" Ria slurred, hoisting a mug of alcohol into the air when she spotted me in greeting. "Why don't you join us for a drink?" There was another Companion sitting with her (not one of the Circle), but I couldn't remember his name.

My mouth was beginning to water at the thought of eating Ria—_No! Don't start thinking like the wolf!_ "N-No thanks. Some other time."

Ria giggled childishly. "Your loss."

Walking out into the night through one of the back doors of Jorrvaskr. The pain in my body intensified as the moons enveloped me in their light. I made it to the Underforge, opened the door, and made use of the secret exit. I jumped down from the small ledge, barely making an audible noise, and crept out, glancing up and down the trade road to see if the coast was clear. The guards weren't out this far, and Vanuts (the owner of Loreius farm) was more than capable of defending himself.

Taking a step forward, a slight breeze passed by, ruffling my hair slightly, when my nose flared on its own and caught a familiar scent.

Taryn.

Worry clenched me like an iron fist. If I let loose, there may be a chance that Taryn could become a victim...

Running across the road into the tall prairie grass, I charged north towards Winterhold—towards Taryn. But I had to stop momentarily with the moons searing the blood in my veins. I didn't have a lot of time left. My relief, however, was expressed in a sigh when I spotted a shadowy figure walking towards the woods.

Fighting the wolf, I ran towards Taryn. "Stop!" I hollered. She stumbled slightly, her arms wrapped around her torso. Was she wounded already? "It's not safe."

She turned her head towards me slightly, but turned it away quickly when she realized how close I was. "G-Get away," Taryn muttered.

I pursed my lips. Did she understand the situation I was in? Was that why she took a contract? "You need to go back to Jorrvaskr—." I placed my hand on her shoulder as my voice faded, but pulled it away quickly. My voice was _gone_. Now, I was only capable of growls and snarls. But Taryn was so _warm_...

Taryn whirled on me, teeth bared in challenge. My wolf was bristling, slashing at me to release it. My eyes widened as I took her in. Taryn's eyes weren't the soft green I'd grown accustomed to. No, her eyes were gold... like mine.

"I-I said _get away_!" Taryn snarled, though it was more of a command than anything else. I felt my wolf snarl—_I _snarled in response to her.

The pain rose to unimaginable levels. I fell forward and crouched down into the dirt, gripping the ground as if it would sustain me. I bared my teeth as the transformation took over. It wasn't painful anymore. I'd grown into my body and the transformations were nothing more than a migraine to deal with later. I squeezed my eyes shut as the last few moments of the transformation happened. But as I transformed, I heard screaming. It certainly wasn't coming from me; I was just hoping that the guards didn't hear it and come to investigate.

Opening my eyes, I stood up on my hind legs and stared down at Taryn. She writhed painfully on the ground, fighting back the thing inside of her, but it was a losing battle. I was fixated on her, unsure of what to do or how to react until she was finally done.

She was glaring at me, teeth bared, saliva dripping from her muzzle. A growl was vibrating from her throat, challenging me. Snarling in response, I lunged at her neck. I yelped when I felt something slash my face and backed-off quickly. Ignoring the warm liquid dripping from my wound, I lowered myself on all fours and darted towards Taryn's leg.

My jaw clamped down on it. I kept biting until I reached bone. I didn't have any intention of releasing Taryn, but the claw that slashed across my upper back made me. Stumbling slightly, Taryn—no. It was no longer "Taryn"—fell to all fours, glancing at me, then the wild behind itself.

The Werewolf spun and bolted to escape. I roared to the well-lit sky, pursuing the Werewolf a few seconds later. It was fast, but I was faster and more experienced with the terrain. Snarling as I ran, I was gaining ground on her effortlessly. Within moments I was close enough. My muscles bunched, my eyes narrowed, and _everything _around me seemed to have slowed down to a snails pace.

And then, I leapt.

* * *

**Morndas 12 Midyear 4E 199 10:56AM**

When I opened my eyes again, I realized that I was farther north and nowhere _near _Whiterun. As I sat up, I surveyed my surroundings and realized that I was near Shearpoint, a rumored Dragon Lair. "What happened…?" I murmured, running my hand through my hair. Dimly, last night's memories came back. _Taryn_. She was what I was. She was a _Werewolf_ to begin with!

The sound of someone groaning caught my attention. Snapping my head to the source of the noise, I found Taryn sprawled out on the snow, blood staining the area around her. With wide eyes, I looked around myself and, sure enough, there was blood staining the snow around us both—around the _entire _wooded area that we were in.

"Gods-dammit!" I hissed, the breeze aggravating the slashes on my back. I rubbed my forehead and then made way to my eyes. My mind was still fogged with the moons' power. Shifting so that my body was hidden, I gasped as pain shot through my leg. I frowned as my eyes found a nearly-healed gash in my calf.

"W-Wha…" Taryn groaned. Her head rose slowly, a hand resting against her forehead as she sat up. She sniffed the air once, probably to clear her nose, and she froze. I knew she caught my scent—my blood, her blood.

"Taryn," I began hoarsely. She quickly brought her legs close and wrapped her arms around them, and her body. "What happened last night?" I wanted an explanation—I felt I _deserved_ an explanation. There was nothing quite like having a mauling contest with someone to make you feel entitled.

Her eyes locked onto my wounded leg, then she visibly paled when her eyes rested on my face. "I-I don't remember. I was walking when someone came up to me—."

Gently, I ran a hand along the three thin gashes on my face. The scars would be gone within a few more hours—less if my healing kept up this pace. My leg was a different story. I'd limp for a while yet, seeing as how my muscles needed to be repaired.

"I did," I eventually answered, my voice sounding more like a woman than an animal. "I left Jorrvaskr when the full moons were too much." I cleared my throat. "I ran into you."

"My back…" Taryn groaned.

I dimly recalled the memory. "I must've done that."

She kept groaning. "It hurts… so much…!"

My lips curled into a frown. "We need to go back to Whiterun. I want to know what happened," I stated.

Taryn didn't say anything in reply; she just kept moaning and groaning, making me wonder if she'd even heard me. _Why is she in so much pain?_ As if she read my mind, Taryn answered, "My body resets itself after a transformation," she explained through gritted teeth. "But with the added injuries… it's slower."

Nodding, I felt myself reverting to my old self—the old self that was comfortable in the wild and that meant the need for talking was vanishing. "Follow me," I told, standing up. Taryn averted her eyes, her face a mask of crimson.

"We need clothes," she muttered weakly.

Narrowing my eyes at her, I offered my hand. "I know where there are some clothes." I watched Taryn closely for a moment, her eyes immobile, refusing to move from the snow. Growling, I stalked off into the forest, sniffing, digging, and cursing every once in a while.

"Here," I muttered, tossing her the tattered clothes once I'd made it back. As quickly as she could, she dressed, and only when she was done did we start walking back towards Whiterun—or, rather, limp was more like it. The gash she had given me still was healing and the bite I had given her was healing slowly as well.

We were near Loreius Farm when Taryn stole a glance at me, her face still red as a tomato. "You're going to get us arrested!" she growled. "Can't you sniff out another set of clothes?!" Turning my head, I narrowed my eyes at her. "Oh, what? You can't speak now?"

As Taryn nagged about my lack of clothing (or lack of caring about my lack of clothing) I continuously rubbed my forehead. _This is why I avoided civilization..._

The breeze shifted enough, my nostrils flaring at the scent. "Quiet!" I hissed, placing a hand over Taryn's mouth. I took a few seconds to listen around the forest. "Wait here." I didn't wait for a reply as I darted off in the direction of the campfire I had smelled.

I crouched in the brush, observing a sleeping Bandit woman. _Thank the Nine it's a woman_. Silently (or as silent as I was in my human form), I stood over the Bandit woman, my hands gently grabbing her head. "Thank you," I replied, snapping her neck. She didn't even register the pain. I grabbed the fur armor from her, growling that she was rather large in the chest region.

"Fitting," Taryn replied when I returned, still adjusting the furs. "I take it the traveler put up a fight?"

"The Bandit was asleep. She was female, thankfully."

Opening her mouth to reply, Taryn was cut off by a scream:

"TARYN! SKADI!" Elana's voice. "SKADI! TARYN!"

Taryn spoke in place of me. "Over here! We're fine!"

Elana pushed some brush aside, her eyes wide with scattered emotions, most notably worry and relief. Her eyes grew even wider when she looked at Taryn and saw the state she was in. She _definitely _looked worse for wear.

"Girls…" Elana walked over to us and wrapped her arms around us in a bone-crushing hug. Taryn and I both hissed as the wounds on our backs were aggravated. Immediately, Elana released us. "When I didn't see either of you in your room... Well, I knew Skadi had gone, but I wasn't sure..." Elana trailed off, hugging us again. I bit my tongue against the pain. "Nine, don't _ever_ wander off again! What would have happened if the Silver Hand found you?! Gods...!"

I growled at the mention of those hunters.

"We're okay, mom," Taryn assured her softly. "Just... Masser and Secunda were full last night. It was... hard."

Elana's brow furrowed for a moment, and then she kissed Taryn's cheek. "Gods! Taryn, Skadi... What if I had lost you both?"

I tensed with confusion. _I'm just another Companion with Beast Blood…_ I stole a glance at Taryn. She obviously had questions for me, due to my reaction. Questions that I didn't want to answer. But instead of asking me, Taryn wrapped her mother in a hug, inhaling her scent.

"We're here, mom," Taryn stated. "We should get back though. No telling when Silver Hand scouts might appear."

I rolled my eyes.

"You're right," Elana stated. She released Taryn and I from her grip. "Come, girls. I set up a ladder into the secret passage. You won't have to go through the front gates."

I didn't care. I had no qualms with walking into Whiterun looking like I did, but I didn't question Elana. Taryn sighed in relief, patting my shoulder as she did so. I'd wait to ask her questions about her lycanthropy. Why weren't her eyes silver? Why did her body completely reset itself? And above all, why was she so out of control?

I shook my head. Add another _Accord of Madness _to the list.


	7. Chapter 6 - Fear of the Unknown

Chapter Six:

Fear of the Unknown

**Morndas 12 Midyear 4E 199 2:16PM**

After a rather long bath (Taryn and I had to be careful because of our wounds), Elana had snuck us back into our shared room. Ria stumbled down the stairs as Taryn and I were in the middle of the hall, clutching her head and moaning incoherently. _That's what you get for drinking so much mead last night, _I thought to the hung-over Imperial. She seemed to groan in agreement to my unsaid statement.

Taryn and I were finally in our shared room, Elana tending to Taryn's wounds (she had already seen to mine). "By the Nine, Taryn!" Elana exclaimed as she finished bandaging her daughter's leg. "It looks like you got into a fight with a Vargr!"

I couldn't stop the laughter that escaped my throat. "Well, I'm not _technically _a Vargr."

Elana blushed. "Sorry, Skadi. I forgot." She reached over to the table that Taryn and I shared, grabbing two red bottles. "Both of you, drink this." Obediently, I drank the healing potion. My back felt thousands of times better in a second. Taryn sighed in relief as the healing potion dulled the pain in her back and leg.

"Thank you, Elana," I murmured, setting the empty bottle back down on the table.

"Now," Elana stated, crossing her arms, watching the two of us intently. "I'm going to go upstairs and get you some lunch. You'll need to stay in the room for the rest of the day. There's no way we can explain the injuries you both sustained."

I rolled my eyes. "I can just say I got into a fight with a pack of sabrecats—." I bit my tongue at the glare Elana was giving me.

"Stay. Here," Elana hissed.

"Don't argue with her, Skadi. You'll lose," Taryn muttered.

"That's right," Elana replied cheerily. Without a second glance, she glided towards the door. "And no sneaking around." Taryn and I murmured an agreement of some sort unanimously.

When Elana left, my eyes returned to Taryn. Her entire torso was bandaged, seeing as how the gashes I inflicted on her last night traveled the length of her back. Only my upper torso was bandaged, but the bandages would be removed in an hour or two.

"All right," I began. "You owe me an explanation."

Taryn sighed, her shoulders tense. She opened her mouth a few times, perhaps to make an excuse, but she kept looking at my wounds and closing it. "Yeah, I do," she finally murmured.

She gestured to the chair that was opposite her. Carefully, I made my way over to the it. My leg was almost done healing, but it still hurt to put pressure on it. I watched Taryn as I sat down. Her eyes seemed focused, as if she was carefully plotting the words out in her mind.

"See, my mom and my dad were together when my dad had just become Harbinger," she told me. "That meant he was part of the Circle—a Werewolf. After they got married, mom got pregnant. You know how it goes. Anyway, none of us were sure if I'd get the gene because he drank the blood, rather than the conventional means of becoming a Werewolf.

"Well, mom and dad kept close eyes on me after I was born. Even during puberty. Nothing happened. Their worries were gone. I didn't really mind, until I realized that the people I'd grown up with—Farkas, Vilkas, Aela, Hiemdall—were slowly becoming like my dad and leaving me behind. They were Companions. I wasn't."

My lips pursed as she explained herself. She was starting to feel left out because she wasn't a Werewolf? There were other Companions, like Ria, who weren't Werewolves, but I supposed that Taryn didn't grow up with them...

"So I set my sights on sailing." Taryn continued. "I figured that it'd be my place in the world, and the Companions would have theirs. I was fifteen when my dad went on a large contract with the rest of the Companions, spreading them out to get it done. Mom, Tilma and I remained behind. That day, I felt sick. Flu, I guessed. Could hardly eat a thing. In the night, I started heaving and getting chills, even though I was burning up. Mom was with me, and Tilma was helping out. I'm not sure if either of them knew what was going on. Even I didn't."

Taryn paused as she recalled that night. It wasn't unheard of that some Werewolves remember their first night, first kill. I wasn't one of them. But I had a feeling I had killed a Khajiit, seeing as how they'd become my favorite prey.

Taryn swallowed. "Mom had gone for more water when it happened. This incredible, searing pain rushed through me; I started transforming. Mom came back, and I remember holding onto her, hoping that having her there would make the pain go away. It didn't; it continued for hours, slowly turning my body into something else."

I remembered the first time. The blood that had traveled into my stomach, the searing pain it brought me... It felt like it was burning me from the inside out.

"And then I wasn't 'me' anymore." Taryn said quietly. "I can't remember anything after that, except when I woke up in my mom and dad's room. Everything was destroyed or flipped over. I couldn't grasp what had happened, but I wasn't a total fool about it. I knew it had something to do with me." Taryn paused. "It wasn't until I walked out into the hall and saw my mother sitting by the door that I realized what had happened. Skadi, I tried to _eat _my _mother_. I can't live with that. Now, if things get too stressful or any full moons come out, I transform. I run away from everyone to do it so I won't do the same as what I'd tried to do to my mom."

I wanted to tell her that she didn't have to run away, that there _was _a way to control herself. But now wasn't the time. "You aren't cursed, or pissed Hircine off?" I asked.

Taryn rolled her eyes. "I'm hereditary. I wasn't cursed by witches, wasn't turned after screwing Hircine over; I just _am_. This is who I am now. I don't want to be melodramatic, Skadi, but my life is_ over_. I can't sail without fear of killing anyone. I can't go to the market on the full moon, can't take any hard contracts to get coin... I won't even be able to settle down with anyone. _Ever_. And I can't go to my dad about it because he'll blame himself. He'll blame the fact that _he_ wasn't more careful and didn't take precautions. And I can't face my dad with this _thing _if I could rip his face off at a bad time."

Crossing my arms, I shook my head slowly. I hadn't been afraid of telling my parents what I was. But if I had known the outcome, then I _might've _been a little more hesitant when I had returned. But the fact that Taryn thought she couldn't do what she wanted because of her fear of hurting someone made me wonder what happened when she transformed.

"This is my burden to bear. If I share it, others'll try to shoulder it, but it's a massive weight that can crush them. I just... I need to figure it out. I've been living with it for two years, and I can't do a Gods-damned thing to fix it."

I bit my lip for a moment, deep in thought. "There _is _something you can do," I murmured, sitting upright. _I've been living with this "burden" for nine_ _years, after all._

Taryn scoffed, "Like what?"

"Tell your dad," I stated flatly. "Tell him what's going on, Taryn. It'd be better than having him find out one day when you're overly stressed or are cut by silver… _or _you kill someone."

Taryn opened her mouth to argue my point, but slowly she closed it, realizing that I was right. Kodlak needed to know about her lycanthropy. Crossing her arms, Taryn slid into her bed and pulled the covers over body, effectively ending the conversation.

"You can't hide from this, Taryn," I said as I walked to the bookshelf and scanned the shelf for another book. She grumbled an incoherent response. I formed a smile when I took a book down, opening it up to the front page. _"Lycanthropic Legends of Skyrim,"_ I read. Taking it, I strode over to my bed, sat in the middle, placed the book in front of me, and began reading.

_"I had heard the same rumors as everyone else—that the province of Skyrim was awash in various forms of Lycanthropy. I had studied werewolves for some time, and was keen to see if these rumors of werebears were actually substantiated. I elected to pursue these studies in the warmer summer months in deference to my fragile constitution._

_One quickly finds that common villagers are of practically no use in this land. Whereas in Cyrodiil, even the youngest child can tell you the true fauna that inhabit its environs, here I find alleged "wise men" recounting tales of unicorns and flying horses directly alongside their stories of werebears, so I don't put any stock in the rumors. They certainly have their traditions for warding off werebears (certain plants and ceremonies), but nobody can attest to even having seen one first-hand, much less possess any sort of artifact. Everyone has a cousin or a friend who saw one once, but when pressed, these stories fall apart."_

A laugh bubbled in my throat, escaping my lips in a snicker.

_"I don't wish to completely discount these stories, but I also must conclude that they may have spun out of some wild retelling of a particularly vicious, but mundane, bear. Legends can take a life of their own, particularly when there are grains of truth, as here we have the very real threat of werewolves. I worry that by spreading stories of a potentially false (or at least rare) beast, people may begin to discount the threat that real beasts pose. But if Skyrim's people choose to lead a backwards life, shrieking at shadows and clouds, I will not stop them._

_The werewolves of this land are a curious sort. At least the legends of them. Given the Nord flair for bravado, I had expected to see werewolf pelts lining walls in the cities, werewolf heads on pikes, that sort of gaudy show. Instead, few people in civilized society ever mentioned them, and my questions were usually met with nervous stares."_

A low, menacing snarl began in the pit of my stomach, traveling upwards. _Silver Hands…_

_"Thinking that perhaps the common folk were simply more cowardly than I had been lead to believe by my Nordic acquaintances in Cyrodiil, I sought out those known for actual bravery. The supposedly fearless warrior band of Whiterun, the Companions, lost all color when I broached the subject, and asked me to leave. I had thought better of them, and was disappointed at how quickly brave men and women can be intimidated by stories."_

"They obviously had a reason to tell you to leave," I murmured quietly, shutting the book closed after placing a ribbon in the binding so that I could continue where I had left off.

Groaning quietly, I stood up and returned the book to its place. "You know," Taryn said as she turned over, her covers obscuring everything but her neck and face. "You're really clean for someone who lived in the wild. Hiemdall would leave my books and his stuff all over the place." I smirked, ensuring the book was back in place. "The only messy thing about you is your bed!"

My mouth opened, ready to reply, when Elana walked back in with two plates of food that were overflowing with the sustenance. My mouth began watering as the smells of cooked venison, a grilled chicken breast, baked potatoes, ale, and sweetrolls filled my mind.

Elana set the plates on the table and I was immediately seated in one of the chairs, digging into the large lunch. This made up for the lack of hunting last night. I wouldn't have to worry about hunting tonight either with the meal I was eating right now. "You obviously enjoy the meal." Elana grinned.

I swallowed my food, followed by a large gulp of ale. "S-Sorry Elana, I'm just really hungry after last night." I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. "Normally I wouldn't be so hungry, but I never hunted."

Elana laughed for a moment. Taryn joined me a moment later, eating her own food at a more moderate pace. One glance at Taryn told me that she was hungry—not for _this _kind of food.

"Well, you two eat that and find something to occupy yourselves until your wounds heal." Kissing Taryn's forehead, Taryn hugged her mother. Elana gave me a gentle hug (I tensed at the touch), then bounded off back to the main level of Jorrvaskr, closing the door firmly behind herself.

When I finished eating, I cleaned up the mess I'd made, walked to the door and placed the plate, glass, and cutlery outside in the hall near the door, knowing that Tilma would come by later and get it.

"Unbelievable!" Taryn exclaimed. "You lived in the _wild _for _nine years_! How do you have manners?!"

Again, I shook my head, grabbing the _Lycanthropic Legends of Skyrim_ again. "You'd be surprised at the things you don't know about me, Taryn," I replied slyly, offering her a wink. I bet she thought I was a savage. Basic knowledge, basic reading and writing skills… I grinned at the thoughts.

Before she could reply, I plopped down on my bed, opened to the page where I had left off, and continued to read for the rest of the afternoon.

* * *

**Morndas 12 Midyear 4E 199 10:57PM**

I felt a cool breeze across my face, alerting me to the fact that either someone entered the room or someone left the room. I opened my eyes slowly to see a shadow leaving the room. When Taryn closed the door again, I got to my feet, slipping my leather boots on and grabbing the knapsack that I had packed a few hours prior, and pursued Taryn.

I pressed myself against the wall, my neck craned around the corner, watching as Taryn walked up to the main level of Jorrvaskr. Mentally counting to ten, I made my way up the steps, crouching low when I spotted Taryn, hand on the door. Poking my head up so I could see better, I realized that Taryn had her other arm wrapped around her torso in a vain attempt to hold in her wolf.

_Let it out. Just let it out_, I thought to her. About a second later, Taryn shoved the door open. Sighing, I followed her outside, remaining in the shadows. She entered the Underforge after making certain she was alone. The wind was blowing against my face, meaning that I was upwind from Taryn. I stayed in my spot, and then moved to the outpost, watching as Taryn ran into the prairies, towards Riverwood.

"Heading south then?" I murmured absently, quickly running to the Underforge, exiting through the secret passage, and running along the trade road, keeping Taryn within my sights. I wasn't hunting tonight; my wolf was _still _sated from the large lunch (and even larger dinner) that Elana had given us. I wanted to see how bad Taryn was in her Beast Form.

I followed Taryn's sent through the tall grass, trying to remain as quiet as I could. I was better sneaking in my wolf form rather than my human form. A few small animals scattered out of my way (nearly giving me a heart-attack), but other than that, I was mostly silent.

I hid behind an outcropping of rocks, watching closely as Taryn began to transform. If I had lost visual sight of her as we ran, her screams would alert me to her location. The transformation took longer than it should have, probably because she was fighting the urge to transform, trying to contain the wolf.

When the transformation was done (taking several more minutes than I'd ever taken), Taryn roared to the sky, lowered herself to the ground, and took off towards Falkreath Hold. I just prayed that there weren't any travelers out.

* * *

**Tirdas 13 Midyear 4E 199 10:21AM**

My silver eyes were focused on the yellow-orange flames along with the large portion of venison that I had been cooking for the past hour-and-a-half. However, my mind wandered back to last night. Taryn had absolutely no control over her transformation. If I didn't know any better, she reminded me of myself when I had gone on my killing spree (which had dubbed me the "Savage of Skyrim").

She was close to be considered a Vargr—yet another thing to use to convince Taryn to tell Kodlak. I wouldn't tell him. This was between she and him; I just needed to convince Taryn to tell Kodlak before the unthinkable happened and she killed an innocent person.

_I just need to know why she's so scared to transform. There's _always _a reason for being fearful of the wolf. _Granted, it took me nearly four years for me to stop being fearful of the wolf and let it do as it pleased (that's how I had learned control over my wolf), but Taryn was new to it, and had seen it happen maybe hundreds of times. If she was jealous of the Companions for having kinship through their Beast Blood, then why wasn't she embracing it?

A few birds chirped nearby, the sound relaxing me entirely. It'd been too long since I was last out here. The last time I was out here, was when I had killed Do'Rak and Kodlak had found me mere moments before I was about to indulge on the dead Khajiit warrior.

A yawn escaped my mouth. I'd slept perhaps five hours. I fell asleep almost immediately after I was positive that we were safe and Taryn would be okay.

Soft groans reached my ears, alerting me to Taryn waking up. Craning my neck to look at her, she turned in her sleep. I didn't think she knew I had made camp, set up a tent, bedroll, or covered her up with numerous blankets. Despite having Beast Blood (which granted complete resistance to any diseases), waking up cold wasn't fun. I brought my concentration back to the food and fire.

"What in Oblivion—?!" Taryn exclaimed hoarsely as she shot up. I turned my head to see her pulling the furs and blankets tightly over her body. "You can cook?!"

I laughed, returning my eyes to the venison that was nearly done. "Like I said earlier, Taryn: there're a lot of things you don't know about me." I flipped the venison over again, inhaling slightly. "Can you wait a few more minutes? The venison is almost done." The best thing about my Beast Blood? Cooking was ten-times easier.

"Yeah," Taryn replied, her voice beginning to return.

I reached to my left, grabbed my knapsack and tossed it at Taryn's feet. "There're some trousers, a tunic, and a pair of shoes in there," I murmured absently, my eyes focusing on the fire and food. "Frankly," I continued, grinning, "I would've been more shocked to wake up covered with blankets and furs, and sleeping on a bedroll with a tent shielding me from the weather."

Taryn's eyes must've been wide, but I was too busy watching the venison cook. "H-How did I get here?!" she exclaimed.

I huffed. "You crashed near Helgen," I told her. "I think you were chasing some wolves or something." I grinned. "When I found you, I covered your front up, picked you up by your underarms and dragged you to a secluded spot so I could set up camp."

When she was dressed, Taryn crawled over to the fire; her green eyes were lit with hunger, her hands outstretched to warm them. "How did you manage to keep up with me?"

I pulled the venison from the fire, sniffed, and then placed it on the edge of the fire. "I followed your scent. Regardless of what form I'm in, I pride myself on my sense of smell." A few minutes later, I pulled the venison away from the fire; offering it to Taryn.

"Thanks," she smiled, eating the venison as fast as she dared, not wanting to burn her mouth. "Bless the Divines, this is good!" Taryn exclaimed, attempting to eat faster but still trying to be cautious of how warm the food was.

I blushed slightly at the compliment. "It'd be better if I had some salt and seasoning. I don't remember the _exact _recipe, but I know I need salt, some sort of seasoning, and something else that I can't remember exactly." I continued to stoke the fire to keep it going.

It was silent for a few minutes. "I'm not going to tell you what to do," I began, my eyes hard with determination. "But I wish you would tell Kodlak about your lycanthropy."

Taryn brought her legs up to her chest, her chin resting on her knees. "I'm just... scared to. I said that last night!"

I offered her what I hoped was a sympathetic stare. "You won't know what happens until you say the words. 'Dad, I'm a Werewolf'." I sighed, recalling the reactions my own parents had when I told them.

"I suppose you're right," Taryn muttered. "How far are we from Helgen?"

I craned my neck to look towards Helgen. "A good distance away. We should be home by late afternoon."

"Good," Taryn declared. "It'll give me some time to figure out how I'm going to explain _this_," she said, gesturing to her body, "to him."

"I'm sure he'll understand, Taryn. He _is _your dad after all."

At least, I _hoped _he would understand.


	8. Chapter 7 - A Method to Madness

Chapter Seven:

A Method to Madness

**Tirdas 13 Midyear 4E 199 3:10PM**

Just as I predicted, we arrived back in Whiterun in the late afternoon. The trip back consisted of Taryn telling me a few things about Skryim (about the city of Falkreath mostly—and Riverwood). I happily let her talk about the things I already knew. It kept her distracted from her "mission" when we returned to Jorrvaskr.

As soon as we entered the front doors, Elana wrapped the two of us in separate hugs. She fretted over Taryn being okay, but I assured her that Taryn was well looked after and fed after waking up (which earned me a glare from Taryn).

"I need to talk to my dad," she muttered to Elana. Elana's green eyes rested on me with unsaid questions. "Skadi convinced me that he should know instead of finding out the hard way," Taryn continued as the three of us walked down into the Living Quarters.

A few of the non-Werewolf Companions greeted us with foggy eyes. They must've celebrated a successful contract... _again._ Elana greeted them with hushed tones, but even in a lower voice the hung-over Companions winced.

"Tilma will have some remedies for the lot of you upstairs," Elana assured the Companions.

They all nodded, groaning as they did so. Only when they silently shut the door that would lead to the main level of Jorrvaskr did we continue walking.

"How far did you two go last night?" Elana asked.

Taryn rubbed her forehead, trying to remember what I had told her. "I think Skadi said Helgen..." she mumbled.

"That's right. She wasn't far from the gates, but she wasn't so close that the guards would come and investigate," I affirmed.

While Elana asked Taryn and I questions about last night (Elana seemed impressed that I was able to follow Taryn's scent while in my human form. She seemed even more impressed when Taryn piped up about my cooking), Taryn kept shooting a nervous glance at the elegant double wooden doors that no doubt revealed Kodlak's and Elana's room.

Gently, Elana gripped my wrist, stopping me in my tracks as Taryn continued to walk forward.

Taryn stood outside of Kodlak's room, hesitating as she looked back at Elana and myself for a moment. I smiled encouragingly at her; Elana must've been doing the same because Taryn took a deep breath and walked into the Harbinger's room.

Only when it was firmly closed behind her did Elana finally speak. "Skadi," Elana began, "do you know why Taryn never told her father, and asked me not to?"

I shook my head, unsure. Elana, however, gave me a weak smile along with a curious glance. "She's ashamed." My eyes widened at the words, but I was more confused then shocked. "Taryn grew up around the Companions. Their curse is shared because they're of shared blood. If one can control themselves, even as wolves, all can. You have a more difficult time of it because of the wildness in your blood." I mentally frowned at that. She had no idea what I was like when I hunted. Yes, I had a difficult time resisting, but it wasn't impossible. I'd have to tell her about the Khajiit caravan.

"Taryn is hereditary; she inherited the gene, and so her blood developed on its own, which means that she has rare blood and her wolf has slowly grown within her to explode," Elana continued. "She and it spend so much time fighting each other that neither know how to truly work together as companions to overcome their obstacles." Elana paused. "Please. Help her, Skadi. I'm relying on you."

My arms crossed, realization slowly setting in. I knew Taryn was fighting it; that was obvious when we had attacked each other two nights ago. It was even more obvious last night when I tailed her to observe her. She was only wild because, even after the transformation, she was still fighting.

Before I could open my mouth to reply to tell Elana that I would help her daughter, Kodlak walked out of his room with long strides, passing Elana and I with a look that I had never seen in his eyes before. Turning my head, I spotted Taryn staring at the wall, frozen in place.

"Kodlak's doing what we thought he would," Elana said, snapping me from my disbelief. I noted that Elana had started to walk away from me to follow her husband. "He's blaming his stubborn self. I'll talk to him. You talk to Taryn. We'll be back soon."

Nodding, I walked into the Harbinger's room, feeling slightly out of place. But at the same time, I felt obligated to be in the room. I shut the door firmly behind me, my eyes never leaving Taryn's body.

"Taryn?" I murmured, sliding into the seat that Kodlak must've been sitting in. "Taryn?" I repeated.

She blinked a few times, as if she was trying to focus her vision. "I knew I shouldn't have told him!" she exclaimed. Her eyes were red with unshed tears.

"What did he say, Taryn?" I asked. Normally I wouldn't pry, but I felt as though I needed to know.

Taryn had buried her face in her hands. "Nothing. He said _nothing _Skadi! When I told him, he stared at me with this… this… _look _in his eyes that I'd never seen before!" She took a deep breath. "He sat there for about ten seconds then just walked out!"

Without a warning, Taryn stood up, turning around and kicking the chair that she was sitting in back into the cobblestone wall. "I shouldn't have told him!" Her eyes rested on me. Despite them not being gold, I could easily see the wolf behind the green. "I shouldn't have listened to you—!"

I snarled in response, effectively shutting Taryn up. "You know as well as I do that telling your father about your lycanthropy was the right thing to do, Taryn." I got to my feet. "Kodlak loves you unconditionally Taryn. I know he does."

She snorted disdainfully. "You didn't see the look in his eyes when I told him!"

My eyes closed as the memory of my parents' reactions. I had never seen such _fear _in my mother's eyes before that moment. I was sure that she was even worse when I had gone missing the first time. My father, however... He had fought in the Great War and had seen many things—Were-creatures among those things. He couldn't live with the fact that his child was now one of them, which prompted him to tell me that I was no longer welcomed at home.

I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to collect my thoughts. When I had a clear train of thought, I opened my eyes again to see Taryn staring at me. "If I'm like him now, why didn't he say anything? Why did he just leave?" Taryn lowered herself into a different chair. "Gods..."

I remained silent. _Let her rant, let her get it out of her system..._

"I'm sorry, Skadi. I shouldn't blame you. It's not anyone's fault. None of us can ever see what the future will bring. Maybe... Maybe I should just go. I don't want to burden my dad. Anvil should be nice this time of year—."

I stared at her, my eyes probably gold or laced with the wolf. "Running from your problems won't solve anything, Taryn. It never does. It'll still follow you. Every time you get hungry, every time you feel stressed, _every full moon_, your wolf will want release." She seemed shocked at the words I was speaking. "Think of the pain your disappearance would bring to everyone. To Elana, to Kodlak—Gods! Even Hiemdall!"

"They'll get over it."

I swallowed. "Then you would be no better than me. You'd become _exactly _like me—the way I was before Kodlak found me!" I snarled.

Taryn's eyes grew wide. "What do you—?"

I bared my teeth. "You would become a savage. You would avoid civilization _forever_! It's lonely Taryn. That's a lonely life out there." I pointed to the doors. "You wouldn't survive a day out there alone!" I took a breath. "You would still have _no control _over yourself!" I huffed. "Anvil's a sailing city isn't it?" Taryn nodded. "You _still _wouldn't be able to sail because you wouldn't have control!"

Taryn stood up, her own teeth bared at me. "You don't know that—!"

I shoved her into the wall (I heard a shelf nearby crash into the floor), not caring that I was destroying the area. I'd clean it up. She gasped at my sudden aggressiveness as she slumped forward. "Before you utter another word, that wasn't the wolf: that was _me_," I growled.

Taryn slowly sat up, rubbing her head.

"I know what will happen to you Taryn. You want to know how I know?" I taunted. She glared at me. "Because _I_ _lived that life_! I know what it's like to have _no __control _over things! I didn't have control over Tralen when he made me drink his blood, I didn't have control over my parents' reactions, and I'll be _damned_ if I let you live that life _by__ choice_!"

Taryn stared at me as I offered my hand to her. She was obviously shaken up from my verbal assault, but she didn't show it much. "I'm not going to let you live the life I had. You deserve better," I said a softer tone. She clasped my hand and I hoisted her to her feet.

Without warning she wrapped her arms around me, squeezing me tightly. She didn't say anything, but her shoulders were moving up and down erratically. She pulled away first, wiping her eyes. "I-I…"

I placed a hand on her shoulder. "Go back to the room. I'll be there shortly." She glanced at the mess I had caused.

"Let me—."

I shook my head. "I made the mess, Taryn. I'll clean it up." A grin appeared on my face. "Least it wasn't as bad as what Kodlak came home to after your first transformation, eh?"

Taryn weakly laughed at the comment, then left for our shared room. I closed the door firmly, grabbed the broom from the corner and started sweeping up the shattered (and empty) potions bottles.

About a half-hour later, Tilma walked in, gasping when she spotted me. "Bless the Divines! You scared me Skadi—what happened in here?" she asked, observing the (nearly) cleaned room with incredulous eyes.

"Taryn and I had a disagreement and it got out of hand. I'm nearly done."

Tilma crossed her arms, pursing her lips. "It's my job to clean up after you Companions."

I snickered, sweeping up some minor glass shards. "I made the mess. I'll clean it up," I replied cheekily. "But if you want, I need some help putting this shelf back up. It fell when Taryn hit the wall." I glanced at the chair that Taryn had kicked into the wall, and realized it was broken. "I need to replace that chair as well," I frowned.

Tilma placed her hands on her hips. "I can get a replacement in a bit. Now help me lift this monstrous thing back up!"

Snickering, I helped Tilma prop the shelf back up, replacing the books that had fallen back on the shelf when it stood steady. We finished just as Kodlak and Elana returned. Their eyes widened at the spotless room, and then they rested their eyes on me.

"I'll do whatever it takes," I stated, directing it to Elana.

She beamed, ran towards me and gave me another bone-crushing hug. "Thank you," she murmured.

* * *

**Tirdas 13 Midyear 4E 199 7:23PM**

I had decided to talk with Kodlak about my idea of helping Taryn. It was like shooting an arrow in the middle of the night with no visibility with what I was about to suggest. Every Werewolf was different in their methods of learning control.

Like Elana had said before, Kodlak had given his blood to the others and it went down the line. His blood held control. My control only came from my own willpower. The savagery I held was Tralen's, though his had been suppressed, exuding his dominance over the wolf despite how he'd embraced it.

I glided over to the double wooden doors, fully aware that the Harbinger was in his room, no doubt reading, going over contracts, or writing in that journal I saw him writing in one night. Steeling myself, I raised my hand, rapped on the wooden door twice and took two steps back, waiting patiently for the Harbinger.

About a minute-and-a-half later, Kodlak opened one of the two doors, a smile on his face. "Skadi! What a pleasure! Is there something that you'd like to talk about?"

I nodded. "There is, sir."

Kodlak laughed gently, allowing me entry into his room. He gestured to the table with two chairs, each facing the opposite so whoever sat in it was speaking with Kodlak directly. "Take a seat." He grinned. Slowly, I sat down, my hands resting in my lap. Kodlak sat opposite of me; his entire demeanor was soft and patient. "What would you like to talk about?" he asked.

"About Taryn," I mumbled. He tensed ever so slightly.

"What about my daughter?" he replied.

I bit my lip. I was _really _overstepping my bounds. I had no business talking to Kodlak about Taryn and I wouldn't be surprised if he threw me out of the room, along with throwing me out of the Companions. "I-I want to help her."

His hardened eyes softened immediately. "How would you help Taryn, Skadi?"

_This _was the part I was unsure about. I knew Taryn had a hard enough time with the other Werewolves around, but she seemed used to them. Every Werewolf had a different method of how they controlled themselves, and rarely did a method from one Werewolf work with another. But I had to try.

"I can help her learn control in her Beast Form. She expressed interest—_a__ lot _of interest in sailing, sir. When she told me about her lycanthropy, she told me that she wanted to sail for a while now. But with the wolf and how unpredictable she is in that form, she thinks she can't do that."

Kodlak grinned. "I know Taryn's been wanting to sail for a while now." He stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Do you have any suggestions about helping her?"

"I would like to take Taryn out when one of the moons are full again. I want her wolf to _force _a transformation," I explained to the Harbinger.

He sat there, stroking his beard continuously. While my face remained a perfect mask of calm and indifference, I was freaking out on the inside.

Kodlak nodded slowly after a few minutes. "That was on my mind, honestly. But… I feel I need to ask. How long have you known about Taryn? And… have you seen her wolf force itself out before?"

"I haven't known long, sir. When Masser and Secunda were full two nights ago... that's when I found out. I had my suspicions when I had caught her scent, but I thought it was just from being around the other Werewolves…" I bit my lip. "Honestly, I didn't think anything of it."

Kodlak relaxed, but not very much. "And about her wolf forcing itself out?"

I clasped my hands together. "I've seen the wolf force itself out, sir. I've also seen how out of control she is when she's in her wolf form." I swallowed. "She's almost equal to the Savage of Skyrim."

Kodlak narrowed his eyes. "And what do you know of the 'Savage of Skyrim'?" he asked.

I brought my eyes up to meet his but, instinctively, I backed down. He was superior to me; he was the Harbinger, the leader of the Companions. "I-I-I…" I gulped. I couldn't believe that I was _ashamed _to tell Kodlak about my nickname.

He crossed his arms loosely. "You've heard the rumors when you happened upon camps and caravans?"

I took whatever he was offering me. "Yes, sir."

Kodlak leaned forward in his chair, his massive Nord arms taking up half of the circular table. "Tell me, Skadi: what is your method of control?"

I smiled weakly. "It'll take some time to explain, sir," I replied.

"We have time right now."

Sighing, I began explaining my method of "Give and Take". At first, Kodlak didn't understand—I didn't expect him to. So I went into greater detail, explaining that my method had its risks, but the risks were nothing compared to what was the end result.

"Impressive. And you came across this information on your own?" Kodlak asked.

I shrugged. "I guess I did, but I'm not entirely sure if I learned it on my own, or from the Werewolf that created me. Methods of control can't be passed down through the exchange of blood… can it?"

Kodlak shook his head. "No, that can't happen. Aela, Farkas, Vilkas, Hiemdall, and Skjor all learnt control differently. It was there when they drank my blood and eventually each other's. I didn't create all of them. Aela drank Skjor's blood, Vilkas and Farkas drank Aela's blood, Hiemdall drank Vilkas' blood..."

"And Skjor drank your blood?" I pressed.

Kodlak grinned. "There's a method to madness, is there not?"

I laughed. "I guess so, sir. Thank you. When the moons or moon is full…"

Kodlak nodded his answer. "Yes," he replied to clarify. "Now, you better go. It's nearly dusk, and I'm sure you want to hunt tonight?"

"Very well, Harbinger." I inclined my head respectfully as I backed out of the room. When I shut the doors in front of me; a grin on my face.

_"Another is in danger of treading the path you did."_

My eyes snapped open as the words replayed themselves in my mind. _That old woman, Olava… She was right._

* * *

**Loredas 17 Midyear 4E 199 5:21AM**

My eyes opened on their own. The room was still dark; no doubt Taryn was sleeping. Normally, I would still be sleeping, but I felt it. The call. My blood burned dully in my veins. The moon-call wasn't close, but it wasn't far either. Perhaps in three or four days…

Swinging my legs over the side of my bed, I stole a glance at Taryn. I knew she felt it. Her brow was furrowed, her hand clutching the pillow tightly, a quiet moan interrupted the soft snores.

It was time to put my method to the test.


	9. Chapter 8 - Finding Common Ground

Chapter Eight:

Finding Common Ground

**Tirdas 20 Midyear 4E 199 10:01PM**

I was right about my prediction of the full moon. All the Circle members had gone out on contracts that were specifically set up to get the Werewolves away from the non-Werewolf members. But I stayed behind with Taryn and Kodlak, who had made up a contract that included Taryn and myself.

Elana had left early this afternoon, telling Taryn (I was sitting on my bed, adsorbed in the book I was reading) that she had some business in Haafingar—Solitude specifically—that needed to be taken care of and that she wouldn't be back until perhaps tomorrow in the early afternoon.

"Tell High King Torygg I said 'hello'," Taryn murmured. "And Lady Elisif as well."

While Taryn named the High King and his wife, I couldn't help but remember when I was about sixteen or seventeen. I was tracking a herd of elk when I had nearly stumbled onto the trade road (nearly into the High King and his wife, incidentally). I didn't think the Solitude guards that were guarding the couple would've taken kindly to a young woman covered in blood and dirt tackling or bumping into their High King and his wife.

Elana bade me a quick farewell after she was done talking with Taryn. I offered her a few words of encouragement. Mostly, "Good luck" and "Have a safe trip".

Now, Taryn and I were in our room. I was busy reading _Aedra and Daedra_, while Taryn was lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling. Secunda was full tonight. That moon had a stronger effect on me than Masser for some reason. Their difference to me seemed to not matter with Taryn though.

She'd been moaning quietly for what seemed like ages, a constant sweat appearing on her body. Her tunic was drenched and I had repeatedly suggested taking a bath or drinking some water, which earned me a few rude gestures and a couple different curses.

I placed the book I'd been reading onto the shelf, then grabbed another. Flipping the cover open, I read the title. "_Atlas of Dragons_." I frowned. "Aren't Dragons extinct?" I asked Taryn.

"But they're still interesting to read about. I mean, fire, frost… Some dragons can breathe _both_ fire _and_ frost at the same time!" She moaned, clutching her covers tightly, and then caught her breath and continued, "But that book names the known Dragons that once flew all over Skyrim—possibly Tamriel."

Curiosity overwhelmed me. I opened the next page and started reading the names of the Dragons. "By the Nine! Can you even pronounce these names?" I grumbled.

Taryn smirked (however strained it was). "Some names I can say easily. Others, not so much."

I grinned as I read the rest of the book. "I wonder why Paarthurnax is still around, I mean, I've heard of the Blades before. They used to be Dragonslayers, right?" I read the passage on Paarthurnax again. "I see now. The Greybeards are protecting him from any attacks from the Blades."

Taryn nodded. She was about to respond when someone knocked on our door gently.

"Taryn? Skadi?" Kodlak's voice rang as he opened our door. I greeted him with a smile while Taryn moaned a greeting. "Ready for that contract?" I noted he wore a rather large knapsack on his back. No doubt extra clothes and some blankets for when Taryn and I fell asleep.

"Can't I just stay here?" Taryn moaned. "I'm trying to hold it together." I pursed my lips.

Kodlak opened his mouth to argue when I spoke up. "Come on, Taryn. What harm could _one _contract do?"

She glared at me. "_A lot _of harm."

Shaking my head, I offered her my hand. "Just trust me, okay?"

Hesitantly, Taryn grabbed my hand. "All right."

* * *

**Tirdas 20 Midyear 4E 199 11:08PM**

"Why're we so far from civilization?" Taryn asked.

We were far from Whiterun, past Shearpoint actually. I convinced Kodlak to take Taryn into the Pale for this, seeing as how the snow-covered ground would (somewhat) ease the pain of reverting back into our regular bodies. Once in a while I'd wake up sore from the transformation, back in my own body.

Kodlak and I came to a stop. I remained staring at the woods, temptation running rampant through my mind, my blood echoing my desire to just abandon Taryn and Kodlak to go hunt. But I held firm against the temptation. I promised Kodlak, I promised Elana—_Elana_. She was relying on me to help her daughter. A woman that didn't even know me was relying on me to help Taryn.

Kodlak cleared his throat. I turned around my eyes were probably laced with gold by now. I was resisting the pull, but I wasn't really trying.

"Taryn," Kodlak stated softly, "you need to learn control."

Taryn groaned. I guessed that she'd suspected what the "contract" was about, but hadn't expected us to act so soon. "I know! But it's not easy—in fact, it's impossible! No offense dad, but you wouldn't be a good teacher for this! _No one_ would be!" Taryn crossed her arms, frowning as her eyes rested on the ground. "I can't control it!" Taryn brought her eyes back up to Kodlak. The faintest of gold was there. "Every time I try to fight for control, it pushes me back!"

I couldn't help but smirk at her outburst. Confused, I noted that one of Taryn's eyebrows rose on their own.

Kodlak sighed. "Taryn, there is _one_ person who can teach you."

"Who?" she replied.

I felt my smirk widen. "Me," I stated. "I can teach you how to control yourself in your other form." Taryn narrowed her eyes at me. "Control _is _possible, Taryn. Believe it or not, it _is_." I had to pause, my voice was starting to sound hoarse. "It took me a while to figure it out, but once I did, I understood what your problem was." Taryn pursed her lips, awaiting my explanation. "Your problem is that you _fight _for control. You don't want to fight it; you want to cooperate with it—."

"Cooperate?" Taryn interrupted me. "How in Oblivion do you '_cooperate_' with such a creature?! You. _Can't_!"

"Taryn," Kodlak said gently. Taryn shook her head, trying to collect her thoughts. Her wolf was starting to come through. "Skadi survived seven years on her own. She obviously has control if she survived for so long before she drew attention to herself."

I smiled thinly. "It's fairly easy," I offered, "but it _can _be difficult. Especially in your case; you've never tried."

Taryn growled quietly, her eyes firmly on the ground. "I've tried countless times and I _still_ lose!" she exclaimed, burying her face in her hands. "The first time, I almost killed my mom and Tilma! I..." She looked up at me. "I almost killed _you_."

I sighed, crossing my arms and staring hard at the ground "That's the difference between you and I. You have constant reminders of what almost happened—you _live_ with the reminders. I don't. That's why it's easier for me. I don't have a constant reminder of what could happen if I lost control. I know what could happen." I returned to my regular stance—the one that made guards visibly stiffen. "If I wasn't in control of myself that night, during the twin full moons, _you would be dead_. I never hunt or attack to wound. I hunt and fight to _kill_. You were lucky, Taryn."

The words had the desired effect as Taryn tensed at them. "So, what're you going to do then?"

I eyed the woods, gesturing to the trees around us. "I'm going to teach you the best way to control your wolf, and the only way I can do that is if you listen to me." _There's also a good chance that this won't even work, _I added mentally.

"Fine," she growled.

I smirked, I knew my eyes were gold by now. "The best way to gain control over yourself in your Beast Form is simple: give and take."

"Excuse me?"

"Give and take," I repeated.

"Yeah," Taryn groaned, "I heard you the first time."

I nodded slowly. "Give the wolf what it wants, and in return it gives you control." Taryn looked utterly lost. I sighed. "Let me explain a little more."

"Please do," she remarked.

I narrowed my eyes. Taryn's green eyes had some gold laced in with the green; Secunda was beginning to affect her on the inside. "What do you want to do right now?" I asked.

"Hunt," Taryn replied, looking at the ground. "Or…attack something…"

"Me," I stated. Taryn glanced at me. "You want to attack me." Taryn opened her mouth to argue. "Don't bother lying," I said, shaking my head. "My own wolf wants to do the same." She closed her mouth, blushing slightly. "Now you want to hunt?" I pressed. Taryn nodded while I smirked in response. "Let the transformation happen. Let the wolf hunt; let it run loose. When the hunt is done, _you_ will be in control. The wolf will recede to the back of your mind and _you_ will replace it." I sighed, remembering how I learned this method. "Eventually, both parts of your mind will be exhausted and you'll fall asleep, waking up in your own body, the wolf happy and sated for the moment."

Without a second glance at Taryn, I knelt on the ground. Taking a deep breath, I felt the fire coursing through my body.

"Taryn, Skadi will show you what she means. We picked this spot for a reason," I heard Kodlak explain.

I was so lost in the fire of the transformation that I wasn't sure if Kodlak had kept talking. I definitely heard my clothes tearing. I'd worn the old tattered set of trousers and a tunic that I wore when I first arrived at Jorrvaskr. But with shear willpower, I kept my mouth firmly shut, not grunting, groaning, or moaning in pain.

When the transformation was done, I stood on my hind legs, staring down at Taryn. Her eyes were wide (and solid gold) as she took me in. With each exhale, a snarl escaped my throat; my breath was visible in the chilly climate. I was at least two feet taller—maybe three—than Kodlak, and he was large for a Nord.

"Skadi is in control right now, Taryn," Kodlak explained. "Soon, she'll let her wolf take over and hunt. There are some sabrecats just over the mountain there." Kodlak pointed towards the mountains.

My head snapped towards the mountains, my nostrils flaring on their own. The scent of sabrecat was strong and _fresh. _The large wild cats were the closest things to Khajiit that I'd ever get to anymore. Inhaling once more, I lowered myself onto all fours, my wolf howling at me, pacing within my mind, waiting for me to unleash it.

I took one last deep inhaling, my mind and wolf working together to pinpoint the fastest way to get to the predator-turned-prey.

Then I was gone.

* * *

**Middas 21 Midyear 4E 199 12:15AM**

"Skadi!" Kodlak shouted.

I blinked a few times to remember where I was. I pulled my face away from the mostly-consumed sabrecat, licking my muzzle clean of the blood, and then I turned my massive head towards Kodlak.

"She saw the hunt. Now she's..." he trailed off.

Understanding flashed across my mind. Quickly, I trotted over to where Taryn was balled up in on herself. She was _still _fighting it. Shaking my head, I cautiously walked over to her. I lowered my muzzle to her ear and snorted encouragingly. She growled in response, but I wasn't entirely sure if it was her or the wolf.

Baring her teeth at me, Taryn met my gaze, then closed her eyes. I backed away instantly as the transformation completely enveloped her. The pain wasn't dulled; I didn't expect the pain to be dulled. This was about control, not the endurance of pain.

Moments later (perhaps her fastest transformation thus far), Taryn was a Werewolf, roaring to the night sky. There was no intelligence in her eyes; it was completely the wolf. There was no resistance from either side of her mind. Taryn was gone for the moment.

Out of instinct, I tensed, preparing to defend myself, but I still remained in a non-defensive position for encouragement that I wasn't a threat. _Gods, I hope this works, _I thought to myself. If the "Give and Take" method didn't work, then I had a long road ahead of me.

Sniffing the air, Taryn snarled and bolted for the woods, glancing back at us both to see if we would follow and ruin her hunt. When she was pretty sure we weren't moving, her head snapped in the direction of her prey and she sprinted towards it on all fours, chasing after it. I knew she caught the scent of an elk nearby. I could easily ignore the elk's scent; it wasn't as appealing to me as sabrecat. But, then again, sabrecat wasn't as appealing as Khajiit.

I felt a hand patting my head to get my attention. "Let's go make camp," Kodlak suggested, his silver eyes twinkling with silent laughter at watching his daughter bound off towards the elk. "She'll smell the fire and come back."

I nodded in agreement, following Kodlak to a large clearing that was covered in snow. _It'll make the transformation back into my own body ten-times easier, _I thought jovially. There was a single stump in the clearing. The clearing itself was surrounded by thick bushes. _Privacy at the very least._

Kodlak and I gathered some twigs to start a fire. When that was started, I lowered myself onto my front, my forepaws resting lazily in front of me, while Kodlak sat on the stump to stoke the flames.

About an hour later, I heard the bushes rustling. My eyes rolled at Taryn's attempt at sneaking while Kodlak had a grin on his face. My eyes remained on Kodlak for a time, wondering how much willpower it took to resist the moon-call.

While thinking about that, a yawn escaped my mouth, fogging my mind with promises of sleep. Resting my head on my forepaws, I heard Taryn moving again, then making a strangled barking noise. Silently, I laughed at the attempt to "communicate" with Kodlak and I.

Kodlak and I didn't really react, seeing as how we could hear Taryn coming. Nonetheless, I raised my head to acknowledge her. The look in her eyes told me it was her, and not the wolf. It didn't look like she'd had a lot of control while eating though; her face was lathered and layered in drying blood. She probably didn't notice it though. I went back to resting my head, sleep effectively encasing my mind as I shut my eyes.

* * *

**Middas 21 Midyear 4E 199 9:31AM**

The first thing I felt was a warm blanket draped over my body. The second thing I felt was freezing snow beneath me. I inhaled once; the smell of a nearby fire assaulted my senses. Slowly, my eyes peeled open to intense sunlight. I took a moment to recall what happened last night.

I had taken Taryn out for a test to see if my method of control worked for her. So far, it appeared that it did.

Sitting up, I wrapped the blanket around my body tightly, my eyes lingering on the fire that was giving me extra warmth.

"Good morning, Skadi." Kodlak grinned. My eyes flashed from him to what he was cooking. Sabrecat. My stomach snarled with want. I blushed, remembering when Kodlak had offered me the bread back in the woods in Falkreath Hold.

I adjusted the blanket so that nothing was shown. "Taryn?" I mumbled hoarsely.

Kodlak grinned. "Still sleeping," he said, gesturing with his hand to a sleeping form covered in furs. She was shaking slightly. If she wasn't shaking from the cold, then it was from the pain. "It must be difficult for her," he murmured. "But she did it. She let the wolf have control for the hunt, and then she returned to the camp." Kodlak looked at me with a look in his eyes that I'd never seen before. Pride? Respect? Whatever it was, it was new to me.

"I remember her coming back to the campsite," I muttered.

"That she did." Kodlak offered me the food and I started gulping it down, trying to be mindful of the heat from the fire. "She sat by you for a bit, watching as you reverted back into your own body. She covered you up when she realized what was happening."

I grinned as I tore another chunk of meat off. "I'll have to thank her later then."

Kodlak gave me a new set of trousers and a tunic. I had to pause my meal to dress, and only when I was dressed did I continue to eat. I was on my third portion when Taryn finally stirred. I took another bite of sabrecat before addressing the Harbinger's daughter.

"Good morning," I replied. Taryn faced me, covering her body with the furs. "Enjoy the hunt last night?" I asked. She nodded slowly, and a bit hesitantly. "You're not going to admit that I was right in telling you to let the wolf control you for the hunt, are you?"

"You… were right," she answered hoarsely.

Grinning, I offered her some sabrecat. She took it, ravaging it faster than I thought possible. From the look on her face, faster than even _she'd_ thought possible, too. I wondered if she'd even tasted it. "I'd like to take you out again tonight. The more you transform, the easier it'll be to control yourself." I winked at Taryn. I had a plan, and taking Taryn out regularly was a must for this plan of mine to work.

"Don't you think the rest of the Companions would get suspicious?" Taryn asked, wolfing down her second portion. I stopped at my fourth.

"If they're curious, I'll tell them that you've been taking Skadi out to learn more swordplay and how to sneak in human form. In return, she's teaching you more about tracking," Kodlak interjected. He cast a grin in my direction.

Okay, I wasn't the best at sneaking in my human form, but I was better than most.

"I hope Aela doesn't come to try and help..." Taryn sighed.

"I'll ask her not to," Kodlak assured us both when I tensed. "She knows that Skadi's most comfortable around you."

Aela and I weren't exactly on great terms. She still saw me as a threat (I'd been there for two months and hadn't feasted on a single Khajiit since my arrival), but she was kind enough to train me in archery; something that I had a "knack" for, apparently.

_"Don't get me wrong, whelp," _Aela had murmured, standing with her arms crossed indignantly as I aimed down my sights, _"you're good with the bow, but you're nowhere _near _my level."_

I'd lowered the loaded weapon to glare at her. _"I'm not looking for praise," _I'd replied. _"Just teach me how to use this for when I go out hunting when I'm not a wolf."_

"Are wolves usually bottomless pits?" Taryn asked me, pulling me from my thoughts. I couldn't help but smirk. "What? Are they or not?!" she pressed.

I kept quiet, much to Taryn's chagrin. I decided to nibble on a small chunk of sabrecat, just so that I didn't have to answer Taryn about that question. I wanted to see how much she could eat before the wolf was sated. I mean, herbivores weren't as satisfying as carnivores.

When Taryn had finished three more portions of sabrecat, I knew her wolf was sated. Herbivores weren't as satisfying as carnivores, but that didn't stop me from eating when I had the chance. I had to keep my energy up, and if I tried to starve my wolf, it fought back. _Hard_.

"Don't worry," I replied, offering Taryn a set of clothes. "You'll find some common ground. Eventually."


	10. Chapter 9 - Guest Appearance

Chapter Nine:

"Guest" Appearance

**Middas 28 Midyear 4E 199 8:02PM**

"So," Taryn said as she walked into our room and sat on her bed, "where're you taking me to hunt tonight? Eastmarch? The Pale? Hjaalmarch? Haafingar? The Reach?"

I couldn't help but laugh as she listed off the Holds. "No," I finally answered, closing the knapsack that I was filling with extra clothes and a few tents. "I'm taking you to the Rift tonight." I turned around, leaning against my dresser, arms crossed. I was only wearing a tunic, trousers, and a pair of regular boots. There wasn't really a need for armor.

Taryn's eyes widened. "B-But that's on the other side of the Throat of the World!"

I reached behind me, grabbed the knapsack and secured it to my shoulders. "It only seems like a long trip because you're still thinking like a _human_. Think like the _wolf_ and the trip should only take roughly an hour-and-a-half—two at most, if you decide to hunt early," I added.

Taryn tapped her chin for a moment, her eyes narrowed at me. "How long would it take _you _to run from the Rift to the Reach?" she asked.

I felt my lips frown as I did the math in my head. "About half the night." Taryn's eyes were wide with the answer, but she recovered quickly.

"That's amazing," she murmured.

Helplessly, I shrugged. It didn't seem amazing to me, seeing as how I ran off in different directions often, not stopping until my wolf decided that it was hungry and wanted to hunt the biggest, most dangerous predator out there. Some nights I would start out in Eastmarch and wake up on the edge of Haafingar and Pale territory.

"I still need to pack a few things for the trip. Do you mind meeting me near White River Watch?" I asked.

Taryn stiffened. "No one goes near that place. Hajvarr Iron-Hand is the leader of the bandits that inhabit the cavern."

I scoffed. "This is all I heard from that phrase: there's a bunch of free food living in that cavern." Taryn stared at me in disbelief. "Come on, Taryn! _You're a Werewolf_! Those bandits will flee before _thinking_ about attacking you!"

Taryn crossed her arms distastefully. "_You _might be okay with eating men and mer, but I'm not." She huffed. "I won't _ever_ eat anything but animals—."

I snorted. "Don't kid yourself, Taryn." I adjusted the knapsack. "It'll happen sooner or later. There will come a time when you let the wolf go and hunt, and it'll pick up the scent of either man or mer."

I watched Taryn for a moment. Sighing, I strode over to the door. "I'll meet you at White River Watch in an hour. _Try _not to draw attention to yourself. You're about as quiet as a giant running after its lost mammoth."

"Har, har, har," Taryn replied.

Smirking, I left the room and walked to Kodlak's room. Knocking twice, I backed away to wait. About three minutes later, Elana answered the door, a knowing smile plastered onto my face.

"Hello, Skadi. Kodlak's not in right now. He's up at Dragonsreach with Skjor and the Jarl."

I inclined my head. "Thanks for letting me know. Can you tell Kodlak that I'm taking Taryn to the Rift tonight?" Elana nodded. "I think we'll stick around that old Dragon Lair, Northwind Summit."

"I'll make sure that Kodlak knows. Thank-you, Skadi."

"No problem, Elana."

* * *

**Middas 28 Midyear 4E 199 11:01PM**

I carefully approached the outskirts of White River Watch, scanning the tall grass for any sign of Taryn. I'd found her clothes neatly folded near the same outcropping of rock that I hid behind the night I tailed her to Falkreath Hold.

I spent two hours staring at a map that I had hidden in my shared room and another hour walking towards White River Watch. I wasn't a total fool when it came to planning hunts. I'd have to avoid Faldar's Tooth, since that was a supposed Silver Hand lair and those men and mer were the _last _people I wanted to deal with—or eat, for that matter.

I wasn't in my wolf form yet. I'd transform when I found Taryn and we'd run towards Northwind Summit, where I had scouted out a perfect camping area the night before this one.

_Snap! _My head whirled just as I saw a massive, furry shape lunging at me. I ducked, rolling to the side so that my attacker would eat the dirt. Taryn shook her head a few times after skidding through the earth, trying to clear it no doubt. "You need to work on sneaking yet," I chided, standing up. "I didn't sense you until you stepped on that twig."

Taryn raised and lowered her shoulders in a shrug, a wolf-y smile on her face. I easily interpreted it as: "Hey, I'm learning as fast as I can." I placed my hands on my hips while I watched her. My method really did work for her. I was afraid that the first time she tried my method; it was a fluke and that we'd be back at square one the next night. But nope, Taryn repeated my method to the letter and she returned to me with complete control.

"Give me a minute, all right?" I asked, feeling the fire coursing through my veins. Taryn nodded, resting on her front, eyes averted as I removed the knapsack and my clothes. I knelt on the ground, took a deep breath, and allowed the flames to spread.

I blinked a few times, letting the night come into focus. I blinked again, and I finally achieved clarity. However, I didn't expect Taryn to be standing in front of me with the knapsack filled with our spare clothes and three tents precariously held in her maw. She raised her brow. "Are you ready?"

I nodded. Taryn set the knapsack down and I carefully picked it up, trotting at an easy pace. All the while, Taryn was observing Skyrim at night. I kept hoping that my "guest" for tonight wouldn't get lost. However, Taryn must've been getting restless, because she kept increasing our pace until we were both at a full out sprint, racing each other.

* * *

**Turdas 29 Midyear 4E 199 12:22AM**

We arrived at the campsite about an hour-and-a-half later. Taryn didn't wander off to hunt; she obviously wanted to make it to the camp before she hunted, so that she knew where I was going to be when she got back.

I trotted ahead of Taryn, stopping in front of her as the familiar scent reached my nose. I dropped the knapsack on the ground, barking to Taryn that she should go hunt. Tilting her head, Taryn made to follow me, but I lowered my ears, bared my teeth, and let a growl leave my throat. Taking a step back, Taryn bolted into the woods to begin her hunt.

Grinning, I began the transformation back into my body. It was a little difficult, since I was taking away the wolf's only way to hunt large prey. It was mad and hungry, but it was curious because I'd never transformed back into my Nord body at will. I always let the wolf have control until it fell asleep—until _we _fell asleep.

When it was over, I dressed in a miner's tunic, black trousers, and black boots. My "guest" was standing in the middle of the camp, sword out and ready in case a bandit decided to stop by. I wouldn't doubt a bandit would try to attack, but my "guest" was more than capable of defending herself.

"It's just me," I assured my guest. They lowered their weapon, smiling at me.

"She's out hunting?"

I nodded. "I'll get your tent set up, then I want you to stay in there until she comes back. Her tracking could use a bit of work, but she knows your scent better than anyone else's." I watched my guest. "Are you going to be able to stay up long enough for this to work?"

My guest smiled and showed me a few bottles filled with green liquid. "I brought plenty of stamina potions with me."

I laughed. "That's good, because you're going to need 'em. Taryn takes a while to hunt and she's not exactly 'clean' when it comes to eating. Should've seen her after Kodlak and I had taken her out. Her entire face was covered in blood."

My guest started laughing, but muffled it when she realized that Taryn could possibly hear us. "Don't worry. I'm sure Taryn's not that close," I said. _But I better not risk it._

As swiftly as I could, I set up the first tent, placed a bedroll inside, and allowed my guest to enter.

* * *

**Turdas 29 Midyear 4E 199 1:45AM**

As I set up the third tent, I heard the bushes rustling slightly. _Okay, she's getting better, but she still needs to work on sneaking, _I thought to myself with a smile. My hunt would have to wait until my little lesson with Taryn was over. I wasn't terribly hungry, but it was there. I'd have to settle for bears and smaller animals for this hunt. The Rift didn't exactly have prime picking for sabrecats. Plus my wolf was ticked that I denied it a hunt right away.

I casted a glance at the shadowy figure who was watching me set up the camp. My guest was more than willing to help, seeing as how Taryn had a few more obstacles to jump over, but she was doing remarkably well for a new Werewolf.

I turned around when I heard Taryn step on a stray twig that I had purposely left laying around. One quick glance in her eyes told me that it was _her _and not the wolf staring at me. "You've been doing good, Taryn," I praised. I kept smiling when Taryn gave me a wolfish smile in return. "But you still have a fear to face."

Confused at my words, Taryn titled her head, watching me as I walked to the tent that held my guest. "Okay, she's here. You ready?" I whispered too quietly for Taryn to hear. My guest nodded. "All right. Come out whenever."

I backed out of the tent, standing next to it with my arms crossed. My eyes remained on Taryn, watching for the slightest change in body language or anything that would hint that she was about to relinquish control back to the wolf. A few long seconds later my guest emerged from the tent. Both Taryn and my guest locked eyes.

Taryn took a moment to take in the company. Then her ears flattened against her skull, her eyes went wide with terror, and her tail fell between her legs.

While Taryn was out hunting, I had explained to Elana what she was going to do when she revealed herself to her daughter. I had assured Elana that if Taryn wasn't fully in control, I'd get in-between the two of them. After the agreed upon five seconds, Elana took a step forward, her arms beginning to reach for Taryn.

In response to Elana's step forward, Taryn took a step back. Another step forward and Taryn took another step back. Elana stopped as Taryn slipped into the bushes, effectively hiding herself from her mother's sight. "All right," I murmured to Elana. "That's far enough."

Without a word but the hurt clear in her eyes, Elana returned to the camp to start a fire. While she began building a fire, my eyes rested on Taryn's hiding spot.

"Taryn—." I crouched down in front of the bushes. Scared Werewolves were even more unpredictable than calm, in control Werewolves. I didn't hear a response from her. "Taryn," I tried again. "Look; you're so afraid of hurting those close to you that you won't even give them a chance! I brought Elana out here so you could get over it!"

Taryn began growling at me, and I had a feeling it was because I had admitted to bringing Elana out here. Regardless of what she was saying to me, I treated her the same way one treated a wild animal: no sudden movements.

Slowly, I brought my head through the brush to get a better look at Taryn, only to see razor sharp fangs careening for my throat. Gasping in surprise, I made to pull away, but the teeth clamped down around the collar of my shirt and I was yanked into the woods.

Grunting, I felt rocks, twigs, and a few stray branches scrape against my face and arms as Taryn ran into the woods. When Taryn _did _finally come to a stop and release me, I sat up, straightened my shirt out, and glared at Taryn, ignoring the stinging from the new wounds.

"What in Oblivion was that for?!" I exclaimed. The question was followed by a warning snarl. I wasn't afraid to retaliate if she did that again. I stood up, crossing my arms as I did so. "And thanks for not ripping my throat out. I appreciate it."

The next thing I knew, the entire forest was filled with her barking. Pursing my lips, I watched Taryn as she barked. Every time she paced in front of me, every time she stopped and barked at me, every time she moved, she was telling me what she was thinking. She was pissed that I brought Elana here, she was mad that I didn't tell her, and she was upset and scared that Elana—her mother—was here. I understood though; Taryn said that she'd tried to eat her mother and Tilma when she first transformed. But that was the exact reason why I had Elana come. I just needed to have Taryn see that.

Like all rants, whether it be Werewolves or humans, the barking ceased after a bit. Taryn was panting heavily, her eyes locked with my silver ones as she snarled at me again. I raised an eyebrow, prompting Taryn to continuously glare at me.

"Are you done?" I asked.

Taryn nodded, her eyes still narrowed at me, her hackles raised.

"Good," I said, crouching down. "Because I want to have a little talk with you." Taryn tilted her head again. "For the record, I did understand what you were saying, and I _am _sorry for not telling you about this little stunt, but just please, hear me out."

Taryn nodded.

"I'm not going to send Elana away—." Taryn snarled at me as she leapt, shoving me into the forest floor, her forepaws pressing down on my shoulders. Her teeth were inches from my face, a low growl emanating from her throat. I remained utterly composed, which seemed to confuse Taryn a little bit.

"I'm not sending her back for three reasons," I began. "One, she'll get lost." Taryn rolled her eyes. "Two, it's late out. Three, you know damn well that you need to face this fear of yours." Taryn removed herself from my body and paced in front of me, her tail swishing back and forth in a constant motion as she thought.

"If you weren't in control, you wouldn't have been able to back away like you did," I continued, sitting up. "If you weren't in control, you would've snapped my neck—and I know you want to do that right now." Taryn rolled her eyes again and snorted. "If you weren't in control, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now."

I let Taryn contemplate my reasons as I stood up, brushing the dirt from my shoulders and pants. "Come on; it won't be that bad, Taryn. Put what happened in the past behind you. You won't hurt her. I won't let you."

Taryn glanced up at me, the worry in her eyes apparent. A thin smile appeared on my face as I playfully scratched her head. "I promise, all right? I promise that I won't let you hurt your mother."

Slowly, the two of us walked back to camp. We were in the bushes that Taryn had hidden in prior to dragging me away when Taryn stopped in her tracks. "Taryn?" She looked up at me, her eyes displaying to me what she was feeling. I nodded. "I understand. You'll do this at your own pace."

I returned to Elana, who gave me an expectant look. "In the bushes," I whispered, gesturing to the bushes Taryn was in. Elana turned her head to look at the undergrowth. "You didn't do anything wrong, Elana," I assured her. "Taryn's just unsure right now."

Elana rested her eyes on me. She didn't need to speak to tell me what she was thinking—that she wanted Taryn, more than anything, to get over her fear of hurting her mother. She wanted Taryn near again, not only as a human. It was crucial to read body language when out in the wild so one could get away before the person who was attacking made their move. Saved my arse a couple times over with that little skill, too. Eventually, Elana rested her eyes on the fire while I stoked it to keep it going. "No sudden movements," I muttered to Elana, who nodded.

I watched the flames and Taryn as she poked her nose out from the bushes. Eventually, her entire body was scurrying across the ground, belly low to the ground. I was able to see Taryn as she closed in on Elana, but Elana was unaware that Taryn was approaching. A few times Taryn shot a worried glance my way, but I simply smiled and urged her to keep going.

Taryn was just out of Elana's reach when she looked at me again. "Go ahead," I murmured softly. Slowly, Taryn nudged her head under Elana's arm. Elana made room, hastily but carefully, and wrapped both of her arms around Taryn's neck. Taryn rested her head on her mother's lap as Elana began stroking her fur. I could sense the uneasiness emanating from Taryn, but it was a human uneasiness. The wolf wasn't anywhere in her mind.

I kept my eyes respectfully on the fire, my mouth closed tightly. _Let her and Elana have this moment, _I thought to myself. Something flicked my arm a few minutes later. I looked, and a smile formed on my face. "You're welcome," I said, seeing the "thank-you" in Taryn's eyes after she had flicked her tail at me. "Wasn't so bad, was it?" Taryn shook her head while rolling her eyes. Her tail brushed over my arm again. "What?"

Elana snickered and started scratching behind Taryn's ear. I had to suppress a bout of laughter, because I could see she was fighting the urge to wag her tail or let her tongue hang out of her mouth from the gesture. _Yeah, you've gone from a bloodthirsty Werewolf to a domesticated dog in under an hour_, I thought sarcastically to Taryn. "I think she's telling you to go hunt," Elana said (while continuously scratching Taryn's ear). "Your eyes are near solid gold, Skadi. Hunt. Taryn'll be able to look after me."

Absently, I ran my tongue over my teeth. Sure enough, they were sharpening. I sighed, smiling. "All right, all right; I'll go hunt. I shouldn't be long." I gently patted Taryn's back to get her attention. "Howl if there are any problems," I stated firmly.

Taryn barked in response, making Elana jump in shock. I felt my eyes widen but I was also laughing mentally at Elana's reaction. "You okay?" I asked.

Elana nodded and proceeded to scratch Taryn's ear again. "I'm fine," she assured us both. "I just didn't expect _that _to come out of Taryn's mouth. Words? Certainly. A bark? Not in Oblivion!"

Taryn glanced at me with a sheepish expression. I grinned in response. "Remind me to have a conversation with Taryn in Werewolf when I get back. It's quite... interesting." Taryn snickered quietly, probably so that she didn't spook Elana again.

Waving as I vanished into the woods, I silently hoped that there wouldn't be any problems while I was gone. Even though I was craving something big and dangerous _and _carnivorous, I planned to keep my hunt close to the camp so that if Taryn _did _howl I'd be able to get there pretty quickly.

After the transformation, I lifted my nose into the air, sniffing once. _Sabrecat? What're they doing so far south? _I wondered. My wolf, however, growled at me to not question the blessing and snarled at me to let it go. Sighing, I sniffed the air again, pinpointing the scent before I completely relinquished control to my bestial side.


	11. Chapter 10 - Old Memories Will Die Hard

Chapter Ten:

Old Memories Will Die Hard

**Sundas 2 Sun's Height 4E 199 10:22AM**

I heard the door that would lead to the main hall open and close as I walked back from the bath, drying my hair. _Thank the Nine I dressed while in the bathing room, _I thought. Farkas, Vilkas, Kodlak, and Skjor respected the women in the Companions. It was Hiemdall, Torvar, and Athis that would send sideways glances at the women if they spotted us finishing a bath.

However, they wisely avoided Taryn, Aela, Elana, and I for the sake of their lives.

"Skadi!" Hiemdall called, jogging over from the closed door.

I lowered the towel so that it was wrapped around my neck. "Hiemdall, what's going on?"

Hiemdall came to a stop in front of me, a piece of parchment in his hands. "Kodlak has a contract for us," Hiemdall said, handing it to me.

Pursing my lips, I took the parchment and read it carefully. "A wild animal got into a house?" I glanced up at Hiemdall whose eyes betrayed his shock. "What?" I asked.

Blushing, Hiemdall rubbed the back of his head. "I-I didn't think that you could read." He coughed once to clear his throat.

"For the love of Talos!" I exclaimed. "I'm _not __a__ total savage_! I _can _read and write!" Taking a deep breath to calm down, I reread the parchment. "Okay, so what? You have to go out and—wait…" I trailed off, examining Hiemdall closely. "You said 'us', didn't you?"

Hiemdall nodded. "Kodlak thought it would be a good idea to send you out on your first official contract as a Companion… _whelp_." I bristled at the nickname, making Hiemdall shirk back a little bit, but he still had a playful grin on his face. "All right! All right! I won't call you that anymore! Sorry!"

I handed Hiemdall the note back, nodding curtly. "When do we head out?"

"Tirdas, around dusk. It's in Falkreath Hold."

"Thanks for the information," I replied. "I'll see you at lunch or out back." Hiemdall simply nodded, rushing off towards his own room. Sighing, I continued to my own room and opened the door, only to freeze on the spot when I saw Taryn hunched over her desk, writing on something.

Her head shot up to see who walked in and my eyes rested on the paper she was writing. _Lessons? _I loosened up a little bit. "Sorry, Taryn," I apologized. "I'll come back when you're done."

She opened her mouth to argue, but I already shut the door.

I ran my fingers through my hair to untangle any knots as I made my way towards the main hall. When that was done, I placed the towel in one of the baskets in the common sleeping area and headed upstairs to grab something small to eat while I waited for Taryn to finish her lessons.

_/-\_

Sitting against one of the wooden posts that supported the backside of Jorrvaskr, I watched Ria and Aela fighting each other. I had to grin at the two women. Aela allowed her wolf to bleed through when she fought, but not so much that it was noticeable to her opponent. Ria was a little_—_how would I put it? Uncoordinated? I mean, she _could_ fight. The mace she swung at Aela would've killed at least six different bandits by now.

"Good work, whelp," Aela praised the Imperial. "But you could still use some training. Talk to Farkas when he gets back."

I scoffed under my breath. The only praise I got from Aela was: "Don't think for a minute you're better than the others." And that was on a good day. On a bad day, I was just short of transforming and ripping her Nordic Werewolf arse to shreds. I sighed and stared up at the sky. I'd been watching Ria and Aela spar for at least two hours. _Maybe Taryn is done by now. I want to get my sword and practice a bit before I head out—._

"Skadi! There you are!" I turned my head to see Taryn running towards me. She sat down next to me, smiling. "Thanks for giving me time to finish my lessons. My mom would've skinned my arse if I didn't finish that today."

I snickered. I remembered a few nights ago when Elana had joined Taryn and I for a hunt again. She waited at camp with me (I was a little paranoid about hunting and leaving Elana alone without a Werewolf to protect her) and mentioned on numerous occasions that if Taryn barked again, she'd do something to Taryn that I couldn't repeat to anyone. "No worries, I just… respect people's privacy when they need it."

Taryn laughed. "That you do; Hiemdall would've been annoying me to no end until I ended up flinging a book or a sword at his head."

That reminded me… "I have a contract with him."

"Really?!" Taryn exclaimed. "That's great! What're you doing—where're you going?!"

I shrugged. "Falkreath Hold. Something about a wild animal in a house."

"So my dad is sending Hiemdall and a wild animal after a wild animal?" I shot a glare at her. "Come on, Skadi! Even _you _have to admit to being wilder than the average Nord."

I rolled my eyes. "Should've seen Hiemdall when I read the contract. Just about jumped out of his skin." Taryn laughed. "I swear the other Companions think I'm just a savage killer who can't read or write. If I couldn't read or write, I wouldn't be speaking as fluently as I am now."

"Calm down." Taryn smiled. "Go get your sword and armor on. I want to teach you a new move with it—have you talked with Eorlund about a new blade? Skyforge steel is the best in Skyrim and it rarely—if at all—breaks."

I shrugged. "I'll use my iron sword until it snaps." _Or until it severs Tralen's head from his shoulders, _I added mentally. Taryn seemed to sense my darkening attitude.

"You okay?" she asked.

"Fine." I stood up quickly. "Let me go get changed and I'll meet you out here, all right?"

* * *

**Sundas 2 Sun's Height 4E 199 1:46PM**

I wiped the sweat from my forehead with the back of my hand, my iron sword digging into the ground as I used it for support. I had a lot of stamina, but when I used it for training, Gods, did it drain quickly. Taryn must've been used to long hours of training, because she seemed to still have the energy to go on, despite how she was sweating just like me.

"Hey," I panted, dragging my feet to the shade of the back gathering area. My mind drifted to thoughts of hunting in the Pale or Eastmarch tonight. The snow was almost calling to me now. "Do you think you're ready to tell the Circle about your lycanthropy?"

Taryn tensed, closed her eyes, but relaxed a few seconds later. "I'm not sure I'm ready. I mean, you said that I'm doing well, but there's still a chance I could snap. I mean..." She sighed and opened her eyes. "It's still hard with mom."

I plopped down in a chair, downing a tankard filled with mead. "Well, you can't come with me on this contract, and I'm sure I'll be gone for two days at the most."

Taryn crossed her arms, her eyes narrowed at me. "So when you're away, I need a _babysitter_?! We don't even know if it'll be a big deal, because my wolf may not be hungry while you're gone!"

"Would you rather devour all of Whiterun? Because that's a good possibility." Taryn shut her mouth at the mention of that possible outcome. "Besides, it could just be waiting for a chance for me to be gone and not watching over what it does."

"Fine, I'll tell them tomorrow," Taryn growled. "I hate that about you."

I raised an eyebrow. "What do you hate about me?"

Taryn scoffed. "One," she began, extending her forefinger, "you're really neat and clean—something that I appreciate but come on! Leave your boots or armor lying around once in a while! And two, _you win every damned argument_!"

I laughed. "I don't _always_ win. I just know when to voice the opinions that would matter. And my opinion is that you tell the Circle that you're like them—in _almost_ every aspect." Taryn raised an eyebrow. "The only difference between them and you is that you're hereditary."

"Right," Taryn growled. A grin appeared on her face. "I think Aela wants to teach you some more archery now. Have fun."

I growled under my breath as the red-headed Nord approached me. "All right, _whelp_. Hiemdall said that you're going on a wild animal chase in Falkreath Hold in a few days." I nodded, still glaring at her. "Well, I want you to be able to kill this animal without relying on your wolf for this. Understand?"

"Of course," I replied, grinning, "_my Jarl_." I ducked when Aela unsheathed her knife and swung it at my head, leaving a nice slash in the wooden chair that I was previously sitting on. Aela _hated _that nickname. Taryn had given her the first day I tried my hand at archery and Aela started barking (ironically) orders and instructions at me.

"Watch your mouth, _whelp_."

I gave a mock bow. "Of course, _my Jarl._" Her eye twitched.

_Oh, I'm _so _going to get it now…_

* * *

**Morndas 3 Sun's Height 4E 199 3:13PM**

"Okay," Taryn muttered, wringing her hands together nervously, "I _really _can't do this."

I rolled my eyes. "Roughly a day ago you agreed that it would be best if the others knew about your lycanthropy!" I glanced at her. "You've been doing great with learning control, Taryn. You shouldn't be nervous to tell the Circle." I crossed my arms.

Taryn shrugged helplessly. A few minutes later, Taryn and I walked into the Underforge, where Elana and Kodlak stood behind a large bowl-like pedestal (which I assumed is where they preformed the "ceremony"), and the rest of the Circle stood around them.

Everyone greeted us in their own way before falling silent. Only two of the five Companions knew Taryn's secret: me and Kodlak. Elana wasn't a part of the Companions.

"Why did you summon us here, Harbinger?" Aela questioned. "Are there Silver Hands closing in?"

Kodlak shook his head. "No, Aela. The Silver Hands haven't been attacking. This is more of a... personal matter."

Aela's brow furrowed. "I don't understand." Her eyes rested on me. "I also don't understand why _she'__s_ here. She's not a member of the Circle. And neither is Taryn, or Elana, for that matter."

I bared my teeth at her, a threat and a promise in one. She glared at me in response.

Kodlak simply shook his head at the remark. "Aela, listen to me." He crossed his arms. "Skadi might not share our Beast Blood, but she shares our curse, so you will show her the same respect you show Skjor, the twins, and Hiemdall. Understand?"

"Very well," Aela said, crossing her arms. I stuck my tongue out at her childishly (earning a chuckle from Taryn) when she wasn't looking.

Kodlak shook his head. "There's something Taryn needs to tell everyone," Kodlak said, addressing the Circle. All of the Companions turned their heads to stare at Taryn (who began to squirm at becoming the center of attention).

I patted her shoulder, bringing my lips close to her ear. "You can do this," I reassured her before I stepped away to stand next to Hiemdall.

"I've been keeping a secret from you—all of you," Taryn began. She had _everyone's_ attention. "I-I..." She swallowed nervously. "I'm a... a..."

* * *

**Loredas 5 Evening Star 4E 193 12:55PM**

"Mom, dad, there's something I need to tell you," I said quietly, my eyes rooted to the floor. I arrived home about three hours ago, but two of those hours I spent pacing in the woods, watching my mother and father as they went about their day. They seemed almost happy. _How could they be happy? They lost their only daughter three years ago!_

My mother and father sat in front of me, holding my hands. I hoped that they would realize how warm they were, but they must've been oblivious to the heat I was generating. "What's wrong, Skadi?" my mother asked.

I swallowed. "The man that took me... He-He was a... _is_ a..." I swallowed, afraid to say the words, but I knew I had to tell them. They were my parents, for Gods' sakes! Taking a deep breath, I steeled myself. "The man who took me is a Werewolf." My mother and father froze, letting the words hang in the air. "He took me, made me drink his blood, and now..."

My father took a step back, releasing my hand and forcing my mother away from me. The fear in her eyes was unparalleled. "You're a-a-a...?!"

I nodded, standing, tears falling freely from my face. "I tried to fight him—Gods, did I try—but he was just too strong!"

My mother made to approach me, but my father put an arm out in front of her. There was fear in his eyes too, there was no mistaking it. The wolf within me woke up, eager for the easy hunt. They were _right there_. _No!_ I forced the desire down. _I'm not going to kill them! They're my parents…!_

"W-What are we going to do?" my mother asked my father.

The answer was clear as day in his eyes. I was too scared to even move. My mother placed a hand on her stomach. Was she going to be ill with the knowledge that I was a Werewolf? Shaking my head, my parents whispered something to each other. I chose not to listen, despite being able to hear them as if they were speaking out loud.

* * *

**Morndas 3 Sun's Height 4E 199 3:29PM**

Taryn wrung her hands together, trying to make the words come out of her mouth. Eventually, she took another breath, her green eyes resting on the Circle. "I'm a Werewolf. I have been for the past two years." Everyone took an intake of breath, their silver eyes wide with disbelief. I remained composed, waiting for the chance to tell Aela that _I _was the one helping Taryn learn control, that _I _was the one that was showing Taryn how to live two lives.

"Hircine's hind leg!" Vilkas exclaimed. "That's not possible! We would've known if you were a Werewolf! You would've had to drink our blood!"

"Unless..." Aela's silver gaze rested on me. "She drank the whelp's blood."

I snarled, lunging towards her, only to be stopped by Taryn. My eyes screamed for murder, my mind reverting in and out of my sane, controlled side and the wolf's desire. "What is your problem with her, Aela?!" Taryn snarled at the Nord woman. "She hasn't done _anything _to earn your spite!" Taryn narrowed her eyes. "Didn't you even hear me? I've been a Werewolf for _two years_. I met Skadi... What? Two or three _months_ ago?!"

I growled, waiting to hear Aela's response. "Before you open your mouth," I muttered. "_I_ have been the one to take Taryn out and teach her control. I'm not a Vargr, _my Jarl_." Everyone snickered at the nickname.

"Well," Hiemdall said, grinning. "At least this explains why you growled in your sleep... and snored."

Taryn was a bright red. "I don't snore!" She shot a glance towards me. "Tell them!"

I rubbed the back of my head. "Um… You kind of do—but softly!" I added quickly.

Elana was laughing quietly. Kodlak was doing the same, but not trying as hard as Elana to muffle the noise. "Hey, they're okay with it," I reassured Taryn. "They're just trying to lighten the mood—although the Jarl over there," I said, gesturing to a fuming Aela, "is being a major buzz kill."

Taryn actually cracked a smile. "Did I mention that I hate it when you're right?"

I grinned. "You've mentioned it once or twice."

* * *

**Tirdas 4 Sun's Height 4E 199 8:00PM**

"Ready to go?" Hiemdall asked, leaning against the door jamb.

I looked up to meet his gaze. "Almost, I just have to give Taryn something then we can head out." Hiemdall nodded as he walked out of the room and into the hall. Returning my eyes to the map, I scanned the locations precariously, making sure I didn't make a mistake.

"What're you going to give me?" Taryn asked, sitting cross-legged on her bed.

I smirked, finishing a marking on the map. When the red ink dried, I placed the map of Skyrim in front of Taryn. "This is the map I've been working on in my spare time. The red circles mean there's plenty of wild game—carnivores and herbivores alike, and rarely any hunters. The black X's mean there's either a Silver Hand stronghold nearby, or there's so many hunters that you'd end up dead before the hunt really began."

"Why're you giving me this?" Taryn asked, studying my work. "Gods, your writing is even nicer than what I was expecting!"

I smacked my hand to my face. "Talos help me," I muttered. "Look, I'm giving you this map so that I don't end up chasing a bandit or a Silver Hand, only to find that your pelt is hung over the mantle of said bandit or Silver Hand's fireplace." I smirked. "Farkas is going to 'dogsit' you while I'm away. I figured you'd like him watching you more than Aela."

"And my lessons?" she questioned.

I crossed my arms. "Already explained my method to Farkas. He'll keep his distance when you hunt."

Taryn opened her mouth to reply when Hiemdall started pounding on the door. "Let's go! Those homeowners are expecting us soon!"

Sighing, I grabbed my pack and sword, sheathing the latter while I swung the former onto my back. "I'll be back in couple of days—three tops." I snickered. "Perhaps you should show your mom that thing. She might benefit from learning how to read a map."

Taryn laughed at my remark.

"Skadi, let's go!"

Rolling my eyes, I made my way to the door. "I'll see you later, Taryn." I closed the door behind me, only to see Hiemdall standing there, his arms crossed. "Open your mouth and I'll do worse than maim you. Learn to be patient! Gods, it's a wonder that you catch _any _game at all!"

Shrugging, Hiemdall and I left Jorrvaskr, then Whiterun, and made it to the stables where we had paid Bjorlam, a Nord warrior who owned a wagon, to take us to Falkreath.

"So, what do you know about Whiterun?" I asked Bjorlam.

Hiemdall groaned. "You _had _to ask him that?"

Bjorlam laughed at Hiemdall's response. "No need to dampen the lass' mood, Hiemdall." Bjorlam cleared his throat. "Well, I know the Companions make their home here. Their mead hall, Jorrvaskr, is the oldest building in the city. You'll want to be careful there. The rest you can find out by asking the townsfolk. I'd start with the barkeep at the Bannered Mare, or the castle steward."

I smirked. "Well, I'm a Companion. I just haven't had the pleasure to actually walk on the outside of the Hold itself," I replied.

Hiemdall eventually joined in on the conversation and we ended up talking about how difficult it was to travel alone these days, what with thieves and bandits running rampant. Bjorlam also made mention about the "Savage of Skyrim" (which is when I fell deathly silent and tried to change the subject).

My eyes began to feel heavy after about three hours of talking. "Why don't you get some rest, Skadi?" Hiemdall suggested. "We'll be there around dawn, right?" he asked Bjorlam.

The Nord nodded. "Sounds about right."

Nodding, I laid down on the bench I was sitting on and used my pack as a pillow. _Ugh… I'd rather be sleeping on the ground than this! _

Eventually, sleep crept into my mind; my wolf was still awake, curious as to why I didn't let it hunt tonight. _I'll let you hunt… later, _I promised the beast. It seemed to almost understand what I was thinking, because the desire to hunt faded into the back of my mind.


	12. Chapter 11 - I Left the Wild for This?

Chapter Eleven:

I Left the Wild for This?

**Middas 5 Sun's Height 4E 199 10:57AM**

Hiemdall and I arrived in Falkreath Hold at dawn. It brought a smile to my face when I saw how the mist made the forest look. The mist encased the lower greenery, obscuring anything that would lurk behind the brush. But we had spent more than three hours scouting the woods, trying to determine _what _kind of animal we might be dealing with. Sabrecat was a definite no (much to my disappointment), so we were left with wolves, foxes, possibly a Hagraven, and other critters that would either be harmless or just scary-looking.

"I think the homeowners are in Dead Man's Drink," Hiemdall muttered, slinging his pack over his shoulder. A few guards gave us weary glances (more so me than Hiemdall. Go figure), but otherwise kept quiet and continued to patrol the city.

The two of us walked into the inn to see an Imperial woman standing behind the counter, washing it down. She greeted us with a nod but otherwise kept to herself. I scanned the main hall, noting that it was considerably smaller than Jorrvaskr, but still roomy and comfortable. A gentle noise reached my ears, making my eyes search for the source. When I spotted the source of the noise, I was surprised to see a Breton man with a lute in his hands.

"What's he supposed to be?" I muttered quietly.

Hiemdall looked to where I was staring and laughed quietly. "That's a Bard, Skadi. They're the entertainment when travelers walk into inns." Hiemdall grinned mischievously at me. "But I prefer fighting over singing."

"I prefer hunting over fighting," I retorted. Hiemdall chuckled quietly at my remark.

A Nord woman with hair similar to my own spotted us next, her eyes lingering on Hiemdall for a moment before they rested on me. I simply acknowledged her with a nod. She continued to sweep as Hiemdall led me to the counter where the Imperial woman was finishing washing the counter off.

"Hello, name's Hiemdall. We're here on Companion business," Hiemdall stated professionally.

The Imperial woman's gaze hardened for a moment as she took us in, but relaxed when she realized Hiemdall was telling the truth. "What can I do for you?" she asked tersely. "If you need a room, it's going to be ten gold."

Hiemdall shook his head. "Perhaps later. We have a contract from a citizen of Falkreath Hold asking for assistance with a wild animal?"

The Imperial woman nodded. "You must be looking for Koffut Shak and his wife, Kharzu Dulob. Koffut's in his room right now, no doubt pacing since morning." The Imperial woman shook her head. "Kharzu is helping Andrel at the lumber mill; that poor man."

"What happened?" I asked before I could stop myself.

The Imperial glanced at me. "From what Andrel's said, he went up to a mountain and slipped; the Divines must've been watching over him, he shouldn't even be alive right now."

Hiemdall and I thanked the Imperial woman as we strode over to the door. I knocked twice, taking a step back, arms crossed. Orcs, bleh. They smelled worse than they tasted (which was dry and bitter) and that's saying something for a woman who was dubbed the "Savage of Skyrim". I'd rather eat carrots than an Orc!

A few seconds passed before I heard footsteps approaching the door.

"What do you want—oh, thank the Divines!" Koffut grinned. His lower teeth were exposed to the world, like the typical Orc, his blood-red eyes were filled with relief at the sight of Hiemdall and I, and his black hair was pulled back. He opened the door and walked out, shaking Hiemdall's hand, then my own roughly. I growled quietly at the touch, trying to hide my distaste for the mer. "Now, I assume you want to know the story?"

"That would be best," I muttered.

Koffut wore farmer's clothes, dark grey trousers, and brown work boots. _He probably works at the mill with his wife, _I assumed.

Koffut gestured with his arm to one of the tables. With a scowl on my face, I followed the mer to the table and sat down, my hands resting on my lap as I clenched and unclenched them. My eyes were set on the wooden table as the Orc spoke.

Hiemdall obviously sensed my distaste for Koffut and easily kept the Orc talking, trying to get as much information as he could (and keep Koffut distracted from addressing me). Even though I couldn't tune out what Hiemdall and Koffut were talking about, my eyes took in the inn while my nose took in the scents. The bard from before tunelessly strummed his lute and I found myself enjoying the soft noise. It reminded me of the wild.

_Bleh! I'll sleep out in the woods tonight for sure._

_/-\_

"Thank-you, Koffut," Hiemdall said, shaking the Orc's hand. "That should be enough information." Koffut stood up at the same time Hiemdall did. We'd been sitting here for _at least _an hour, and each minute had been utter torture.

"I hope you can take care of that animal. I'm sorry that I couldn't tell you what kind of animal it is," Koffut apologized. "My wife just walked through the front door and ran out, screaming: 'There's a monster in the house!'."

I couldn't hold back a laugh. _Monster? Please. _

"No worries. No animal is too tough for us." Hiemdall clapped my shoulder (startling me enough to let a snarl slip through my teeth). "We better get out there then. You said it was just a little bit past Hunter's Rest?"

"That's right," the Orc replied.

"We'll come back and let you know when we're done. If we don't come back, well, you know…"

I punched Hiemdall's arm, making him groan in pain. "We'll be fine," I assured the Orc. "Just let us do our job, all right?" I resorted to breathing through my mouth, at least the scent of Orc on my taste buds would repulse the wolf long enough.

The Orc frowned at my retort but nodded. "I'll be in the room."

Only when Koffut's door was closed did Hiemdall and I begin the trek to the home. "I pray to Talos that this is a simple rabbit or fox," Hiemdall muttered.

I grinned. "Well, we don't know what we've gotten ourselves into until we get there."

* * *

**Middas 5 Sun's Height 4E 199 1:11PM**

"You have _got _to be kidding me!" I shouted, jumping to the side as the massive bear swung its claws at me. "How in Oblivion does a _bear _get into a house?!" The bear stood up on its hind legs and roared, spittle flying from its mouth.

Hiemdall dashed forward and landed a blow to the bears exposed flank, but only succeeded in making it angrier. "I don't know, but it must've smelled _something_!" The bear decided to go after Hiemdall, giving me the chance I needed to grab my sword.

While it went for Hiemdall, I slashed the sword across the backside of the bear, my blade digging deep enough into the animal that the edge of my sword was coated in a fine layer of blood. The bear fell back onto its forepaws, eyes rolling in pain. As it roared and whimpered in pain, I jumped onto the bears back, grabbing the thick fur so that it wouldn't throw me off of it. There wasn't much room in the home anyhow.

"Kill this thing!" I shouted at Hiemdall as the bear stood up again, roaring in pain and irritation. My grip on the bear loosened slightly, but the bear sensed it. "Gods-dammit! I'm _not _going wolf for this!" I roared at my shield-brother.

The bear lowered itself onto its front paws again, violently swinging its neck in an attempt to throw me from its back. When that proved useless, the bear set its sights on Hiemdall, who had his greatsword out and ready.

"You stab this thing with that and this bear and _I _will be joining Hircine in his Hunting Grounds! Grab that war axe!" I pointed to the axe that was sitting on the table. "Aim for the belly then the throat—!" My grip loosened from the bear's neck as it successfully removed me from its back. My head was the first thing to hit the wall, my vision blurring.

"Okay, one of us is going to get killed if we try to kill this thing inside the house!" Hiemdall shouted, rolling to the side to dodge the bear only to hit the wall. He missed the bear's claws by inches.

I rolled my eyes, slowly getting to my feet, only to jump over a table as the bear whirled on me. I unsheathed my bow. "Get the bear outside!" I ordered. Hiemdall nodded and began to distract the bear so that it would follow him out of the house. A thin trail of blood followed the bear as it lumbered towards Hiemdall, pain and bloodlust in its eyes. "Try to get it up on its hind legs!"

Hiemdall nodded again, sweat dripping down his face as he taunted the bear repeatedly. _Come on, you Gods-damned beast! Stand up! _I thought to the creature, my arrow nocked into my bow. Aela was kind enough to loan me five of her Skyforge Steel arrows, and she expected them _all _back.

"Finally!" I shouted in joy as the bear rose up on its hind legs. The bear's neck was exposed to me. On my exhale I released the arrow and it flew through the air, only to stop when it lodged in the bear's throat. While the bear screamed and choked in pain as its life was slowly drained, Hiemdall unsheathed his sword and jumped at the bear, stabbing the back of its neck and slitting its throat when he was given the chance.

Eventually, the bear was nothing more than a large, brown, furry heap lying in its own blood. My legs gave out as I crumpled to the ground, my eyes resting on the clear sky, my breaths coming out in pants as sweat fell down the sides of my face. "I've hunted sabrecats that are more docile than this bear!" I exclaimed, wiping my face with my hand.

Hiemdall was sitting against the slain animal, sliding a hand stained with blood across his face in a sorry attempt to rid himself of his own sweat. "Gods…"

"You said it," I replied. "We should probably go tell Koffut that we took care of the _bear _for him." _I would also like to give him a piece of my mind!_

Hiemdall laughed, however exhausted it sounded. "We can rent two rooms then—."

I sat up. "I'll sleep out in the woods."

Hiemdall stood up, walked over to me and offered his hand. "You sure?" he asked.

I took his hand and he hefted me to my feet. "I'm sure." I rubbed my eyes. "You know I'm not a fan of Orcs." I glided over to the bear and removed the arrow.

Hiemdall nodded and we began the trek back to Falkreath.

"He can worry about the mess we made—but we blame the bear for most of it," Hiemdall said.

I knew it was supposed to be sarcastic, but hey. "Got that right." We were within view of the gates that would lead into Falkreath when I veered off into the forest. "Don't lose our money, all right?"

Hiemdall nodded at the same time he rolled his eyes. "You have _no _faith in me."

* * *

**Turdas 6 Sun's Height 4E 199 9:21AM**

Hiemdall stumbled into the forest, clutching his head as he did so while his pack was being dragged on the ground. Rolling my eyes, I finished fastening my leather armor to my body and stepped out onto the road to meet him. "Where's the carriage?" I asked, securing my own pack to my back. I'd gone for a hunt about four hours ago, indulging on that bear, a few foxes, and a rabbit.

Hiemdall groaned at my voice. "Word of advice: never try to out-drink an Orc. You'll lose."

My eyes widened. "What did you bet?!" _Damn it, Taryn! You should've warned me about Hiemdall! _

"The money we brought on this trip—."

"YOU BET ALL OF OUR FUNDS?!" I screamed, making Hiemdall wince. "You're an idiot!" I smacked my hand to my face. "_This _is why I like the wild. Not as many idiots!"

Hiemdall whimpered. "Will you keep it down? I feel like I'm going to heave any second, and your screaming doesn't help."

I got in his face, my teeth bared. "I'm supposed to be back _tonight_! If I'm not, Taryn's going to come and hunt me down!"

Hiemdall smirked. "Yeah, but would it be her or her wolf?"

I glared at him. "_HER_." I crossed my arms. "We better get going. We have a long walk back, and I'm not transforming until night falls."

Hiemdall's only reply was slinging his pack over his shoulders, his silver eyes fogged with alcohol. "Let's go then."

I marched ahead of him, only to turn my head so I could see him out of my peripheral vision. "You'd better pray to Talos that the coin we get for doing this contract will make up for the money you lost us last night."

"I'm sure it will," Hiemdall mumbled, still cradling his head.

* * *

**Turdas 6 Sun's Height 4E 199 9:55PM**

"I'm making sure Kodlak _never _puts me on a contract with you _ever_ again," I snarled at Hiemdall, who recovered from his hangover about four hours ago. "What in _Oblivion_ were you thinking?"

"I was thinking that I'd have an advantage with my Beast Blood, all right?" Hiemdall replied. "You should see Farkas when Torvar challenges him to a contest at the Bannered Mare!"

We'd just exited Riverwood after scrounging up some gold from Embershard Mine. Who knew bandits carried enough gold with them on a regular basis? All the money we collected went straight into _my_ pack. After we had enough coin, Hiemdall and I had stopped at the Riverwood Trader (two minutes before it was suppose to close) and bought some food to calm our inner beasts and stomachs.

"Are you Farkas?" I replied, taking a bite out of a red apple.

"Are you my mother?" Hiemdall retorted.

I growled under my breath, ignoring the Werewolf for the rest of the trip back. We just exited the thicker part of the woods; Whiterun was off in the distance and I could make out the silhouette of Dragonsreach in the distance, looming over the city. I could see torches bouncing on the trade road—no doubt guards that were on the night patrol. _Poor bastards…_

"About time we get home," Hiemdall growled. "I can't wait to sleep 'til noon!"

Just as I opened my mouth to reply, the bushes behind me started to rustle. Spinning, I gasped when I saw a massive furry shape lunging at me. Before I could react, I hit the ground with a loud _thud_, my vision was spinning for a moment.

_What in Oblivion?! _I squirmed, trying to reach my sword, only to stop when I heard the animal above me snort in my face. _Wait a second… _Massive forepaws rested on my shoulders and I could hear Hiemdall laughing nearby.

When my vision steadied out, I stared into the animals golden eyes. Easily, I saw the laughter (and control) in them and I stopped trying to reach for my weapon. "Taryn," I said in a nice, sweet tone, "GET OFF OF ME!" I shouted, scaring the nearby birds into taking flight. Taryn was laughing roughly at my outburst, but removed herself from me. I stood up, brushing the front of my armor off.

Farkas jumped through the bushes in his wolf form, blocking me from Taryn. "It's fine, Farkas," I reassured the larger Werewolf. Farkas sighed, standing on his hind legs as if he were human. "Did Taryn try to stand on her hind legs yet?" I asked innocently.

If Werewolves could blush, I bet Taryn would've been red. Farkas snorted, demonstrating Taryn's first attempts at standing on her hind legs. Each demonstration was met with Farkas nearly eating the grass and Taryn burying her face in her clawed hands.

"Baby steps," I said smiling. "Should've seen me when I first tried to walk on my hind legs." _That _made Taryn laugh roughly. Farkas barked something at Hiemdall (who nodded) and bounded off towards Whiterun a moment later.

Taryn paced for a moment before she came to a stop and looked up at me, the questions in her eyes were endless. "Hiemdall decided to bet an Orc that he could out-drink said Orc." Taryn rolled her eyes. "You can take a guess on what he bet?"

Taryn walked forward and nudged my pack with her nose, the coin clinking together in a gentle tune. "Yeah, he bet our travel money." Taryn growled quietly at Hiemdall but stopped when I had started scratching behind her ear. "Any problems while I was gone?"

I removed my hand so Taryn could respond. She shook her head, a wolf-y smile on her face.

"That's great," I replied. "Too bad you didn't come with us. This Orc let a _bear _into his house, and guess who had to do the dirty work?" Taryn snickered. "Yeah, I had to jump onto the bear while Hiemdall thought it would be a smart idea to stab it through the stomach with me_ still on the beast_."

* * *

**Fredas 7 Sun's Height 4E 199 2:01AM**

I turned over in my sleep so my back was to the door. However, I heard the faintest of footsteps nearing. My heart started to thump, fire coursing through my veins. _That bastard found me… _I turned enough and inhaled. It wasn't Tralen. It was Elana. _What is Elana still doing up? _I wondered. I opened my eyes just enough to see, but still appear as though I was sleeping.

Subtly, I shifted so I had a semi-good view of what Elana was doing.

"Good night, Taryn," Elana whispered gently. I watched through narrowed eyes as Elana bent down and kissed her daughters forehead. Taryn let a gentle sigh out and continued to sleep peacefully.

Elana left without another word, gently shutting the door behind her. When she did shut it, a knot appeared in my stomach. I didn't know why it appeared, it just did. Frowning, I pushed the covers off of me as I sat up. The knot in my stomach didn't loosen one bit, it just got worse.

My brow furrowed as I tried to understand why I felt that way. I was perfectly fine two minutes ago, but now I felt as though I'd heave or...or do something else. I closed my eyes while I tried to figure this new and unwanted feeling out.

_"Good night, Skadi," __my mother said, kissing my forehead gently before blowing my candle out and walking away._

My eyes snapped open at the memory. Resting my face in my hands, I groaned quietly. _They don't want me anymore. They abandoned me, _I reminded myself. Sighing, my eyes rested briefly on Taryn's sleeping form, then on the door to the hallway.

_Maybe... Maybe I can try again. I'm older, more in control; I can explain myself to them.  
_

Sighing, I stood up and silently glided over to my dresser. Kneeling on the ground, I grabbed a set of trousers and a tunic, not wanting to wake Taryn up with my dresser opening and closing. If this went well—which I was pretty sure it wasn't going to go well—then I'd be back within a day or two. But, if it didn't go well, I'd probably come straight back or just wander again for a bit.

Without so much as a sound, I snuck out of the room, out of Jorrvaskr and into the night, heading towards Eastmarch. The fire threatened to consume me entirely and that was enough of a warning. As I ran, I removed the tunic and trousers, hoping that the ones I had buried in Eastmarch were still there.

The transformation took over as soon as I was concealed in the forest and I was running at full-speed towards Mixwater Mill.


	13. Chapter 12 - You Can't Escape the Truth

Chapter Twelve:

You Can't Escape the Truth

**Loredas 8 Sun's Height 4E 199 10:54AM**

I silently slunk through the forests of Eastmarch, sniffing the ground, trying to find my scent. I'd buried (at the very most) seven sets of clothing throughout each Hold when I was still living in the wild. The tunic and trousers I'd worn to bed the previous night were somewhere near Whiterun, lying uselessly on the ground. Hopefully one of the Companions would find them and assume I went out for a hunt, which wouldn't be a _total _lie.

During the night I felt guilty about leaving Jorrvaskr without so much as a good-bye, but this was something I needed to do alone. Yes, I was still exhausted from my contract with Hiemdall, but it wasn't anything that I couldn't handle. But as I ran I stopped a few times, turning around to go back, however something in my own mind told me to keep going. So I did.

Minor spasms racked my body as I transformed back into my Nord body. Taking a moment to collect myself, I turned my head, eyeing the tracks in the snow that I had made. "Gods…" I growled, placing my hand in the paw-print that my clawed hand had made. It was at least two-times the size of my own human hand. Shaking my head, I sniffed the air and continued search for a set of clothes.

"Finally!" I breathed, a smile on my face. My scent was concentrated under the large pine tree. I growled as the cold snow stung my warm hands, but the cold didn't last very long. I was already digging through the frozen ground and reached the clothes a few moments later.

I hastily pulled the trousers on, tying them tightly around my waist. I had to beat the tunic against the trunk of the pine tree a few times to get at least _some _of the dirt out, and only when most of the dirt was gone did I put it on. A few minutes later I was trekking through the forest, making about as much noise as I did while in my wolf form.

Despite being in my human form, I avoided the trade road out of instinct and habit (mostly habit though). About half-an-hour later, I crouched low to the ground, taking in the quaint home that wasn't too far from the mill. Before I decided to approach the home, I crept through the bushes to a thicker clump. Frowning, I inhaled deeply as two scents mingled within my mind, however faint the second one was.

Tralen's and… and _mine_. From when I was still human. It seemed as though the spot hadn't been touched in nearly ten years. The snow, however, was still tossed. The memory replayed itself in my mind as I stared at the snow. _Is this Hircine's way of reminding me that I belong to him now? _Sighing, I turned around and walked back towards the home.

Wringing my hands together, I made to step out into view but stopped when I heard laughter emanating from the back of the home. I crouched low to the ground as I spotted a small Nord boy with light brown hair and blue eyes running around the corner.

"Daddy, stop chasing me!"

My eyes snapped to the large Nord man chasing the boy, with thinning brown hair and dark eyes. "You can't hide from me, Balfhe!" the Nord man shouted in return.

A lump started to form in my throat. _No, no, no, no!_ The Nord boy, Balfhe, turned his head, giving me a clear view of his face. There was no mistaking the resemblance between Balfhe and the Nord man chasing his…_ son_.

My legs started to shake, disbelief creeping into my mind.

"Got you!" the Nord man shouted triumphantly as he picked Balfhe up and swung him through the air. My heart seized at the gesture. "Now, where's your mother?"

Balfhe pointed back towards the house, making me focus my attention to the fair-haired Nord woman watching the Nord man and Balfhe, a smile adorning her face.

_My mother placed a hand on her stomach..._

I blinked as I recalled that memory again. My mother wasn't sick with fear—she was _pregnant_! "Hulgar, are you done chasing our son?" Balfhe had the Nord woman's blue eyes. There was no mistaking the relation between Balfhe and the two other Nords. There was no mistaking the resemblance Balfhe had to _me_.

My father—no. Something in my mind stopped me. I didn't know if it was me or the wolf talking, but I didn't see the Nord man as my father. I just saw him as… Hulgar. Hulgar placed Balfhe on his shoulders, turning to address his wife. "He thinks he can get out of naptime again, Hreir, that's all."

Balfhe gently patted Hulgar's head. "Come play with us mommy!"

That same voice told me that the Nord woman was no longer my "mother." Instead, I saw her as Hreir. Hreir laughed at Balfhe's outburst but descended the steps to join her son and husband in the snow. She had taken a handful of snow and mashed it into Balfhe's brown hair.

I placed a hand over my mouth as I watched the three of them together. Hot tears were streaming down my face. My wolf was nudging me, telling me that I'd seen enough, but my own mind was telling me I hadn't. Besides, my legs were frozen, and refused to let me move.

Hulgar set Balfhe on the ground as he wiped the extra snow from his son's hair. "Mommy, when will I have a baby sister or brother?" Balfhe asked Hreir.

A sob escaped my lips, causing me to clamp my hand over my mouth tightly and making the three Nords stare at my hiding spot. Hreir grabbed Balfhe, darting for the safety of the home. Fear shot through me, my grief immediately forgotten as soon as I saw Hulgar running towards me with an iron mace in his hand. I scrambled to my feet as he chased me.

"You Gods-damned bandits! Leave us alone!" he roared. I knew he could see me running, but he couldn't see _me_. All he saw was a young woman in dirty clothes running from him.

I jumped over a fallen log that was resting on top of a large outcropping of boulders and skidded to a stop. I spun around, facing Hulgar. He skidded to a stop and stared at me with wide, dark eyes, and the mace slipped from his grip. I was panting more out of sadness than exhaustion, tears streaming down my face. The only thing that separated the two of us was the fallen log, but it felt like there was a solid wall, emphasizing the differences. We stared at each other, the disbelief in his eyes more dominant than before. He knew who I was. He recognized me.

I wanted to scream at him. I wanted to know _why _he and Hreir _replaced _me. But deep down, I knew why. The reason was in my blood. I wasn't _human _anymore. I opened my mouth to speak to Hulgar, but thought better of it and closed it, deciding that nothing I would say could change his mind about me.

Without thinking, I unleashed the wildness in my veins and transformed in front of Hulgar. I stood on my hind legs, letting the remains of my clothes fall to the snow-covered ground delicately. The disbelief on his face was instantly replaced with fear. My wolf wasn't awake. It was allowing me control.

I flattened my ears against my skull, baring my teeth at the Nord. I didn't growl, I didn't do a thing. I stood there, my tail swishing back and forth. I let Hulgar take in and process the sight of a Nord woman transforming into a massive Werewolf. Hulgar shook at the sight.

"You're a Gods-damned monster!" he spat at me.

Huffing, I lowered myself onto my forepaws and took off into the woods, towards the Eldergleam Sanctuary. The hurt was worse in this body than in my human one. My vision was blurred as tears formed in my eyes, trailing down my face.

* * *

** 10 Morndas Sun's Height 4E 199 7:45PM**

I lifted my massive head as I watched the sun set. I was on the edge of the Pale, Hjaalmarch, and Haafingar borders; in front of High Gate Ruins, actually. I'd hunted along the way, trying to drown my grief with killing anything that moved (which included a few bandits that were in the wrong place at the wrong time). My wolf didn't feel my grief. It was simply there.

There was a man at the Eldergleam Sanctuary. He and I had talked a little bit. I tried to explain why I was upset and the man gave me some advice: "Let go and move on."

The Blue Palace was off in the distance and even from my view; there was no mistaking the beauty that it emanated. The orange-gold sky made the view memorable in its own way. I would love to walk into Solitude once and see the city, but for some reason I felt as though the people and guards there would see through me easily.

I'd been running for almost two days straight. My muscles burned, my paws ached, and I was pretty sure that if I tried to run back to Whiterun in the state I was in now I wouldn't make it past Red Road Pass. _Gods, I haven't done something like this in a long time._

I turned my head so I was staring towards the south. I'd head back to Whiterun tomorrow. I probably wouldn't be back for another day-and-a-half, but I didn't mind. I was still trying to cope with the fact that I'd been _replaced_.

_How could they replace me so __easily__? Didn't they feel _anything _when I left? Didn't they feel __anything_ _when I told them? Obviously not, if they have a son and I have a brother. Does that boy even know I exist? _All these questions simmered in my mind.

I rested my head on my forepaws, closing my eyes, hoping that I'd sleep tonight. I hadn't had a decent sleep since before that contract I took with Hiemdall—. _The Companions! _

My wolf stirred, whimpering gently in my mind. It _missed _the Companions. I sighed again. _They probably don't even care that I'm gone. Aela's probably over the moons with the news. But… Taryn… Elana…_ I had to go back. There was no questioning it.

A small knot of unease settled in my stomach again. When my stay at the Eldergleam Sanctuary was done, I'd returned to the home and walked the perimeter to see what had changed in the time I was gone. Not much had, but when I'd rounded the corner to the back I'd seen a small grave under a tree. I'd trotted over to the grave and read the name:

_Skadi. _

I figured as much. Hulgar probably made the grave and said that only my clothing was left. _He probably told the guards and others that I was eaten by wolves or sabrecats_, I thought with a sadistic wolf-y grin on my face.

Just as I was on the cusp of sleep, a gentle breeze ruffled my fur, prompting me to open my eyes and stare up at the sky. The auroras were draped across the darkness above. Mentally, I smiled at the view, but I was just too tired to fully appreciate the lights.

* * *

**Middas 12 Sun's Height 4E 199 3:33PM**

_Left, right, left, right, left, right, _I chanted to myself mentally as I walked up the steps to the Wind district. I stumbled slightly as I lifted my leg to plant my foot on the next step. I'd never spent so much time as a wolf before. It felt weird walking on two legs after spending two full days running across the Pale and the Reach. It felt even weirder wearing clothes after so long.

"Skadi!" Lars beamed when he spotted me. However, his step faltered (making Braith bump into him) when he _really_ looked at me. "Are you okay?!" Braith rubbed her head, eyes resting on me. The young Redguard's eyes widened for a moment.

"Can we help you?" she asked.

I shook my head. "Go have fun you two. I'll be fine. I just ran into some trouble, that's all." The two children both wrapped me in tight hugs before bounding off to continue their game of tag. Braith hadn't been bothering Lars for a while now and I was certain their little "feud" was resolved.

I took a shaky breath, trying to keep myself together long enough for me to get into Jorrvaskr where I could just be alone—or as alone as one could get in a building full of men and mer that didn't seem to understand the concept of "privacy".

"Companion," a Whiterun guard regarded me. He visibly stiffened when I met his faceless gaze.

Tearing my eyes from him, I wrapped my arms around myself. I knew I looked like a mess. Dirt was smeared across my face, with blood and dirt caked beneath my nails. I looked like I did when I first came to Whiterun. I reached the top of the steps my eyes rested on the Gildegreen, the wind whispering through its branches.

Shaking my head, I trudged up the steps to Jorrvaskr. Upon reaching the top of the steps, Taryn and I locked eyes. She had been leaning against Jorrvaskr, as if she knew I was coming. I knew she was angry; it didn't take a genius to figure it out. She probably thought that I went out for a hunt at first. But when I didn't come back, she was probably worried sick. About five seconds later, she uncrossed her arms. "Hey," she greeted.

I swallowed, unsure if my voice still worked. "Hi," I replied quietly.

My entire being was screaming in exhaustion. I was ready to collapse on the spot, but I felt Taryn lift my left arm, draping it over her shoulders while she wrapped her other arm around my waist. "Let's get inside," she suggested.

Relief washed through me when I saw that the main hall was empty of Companions. I didn't need them to see me, swarm me, and start asking questions about my three day disappearance. Taryn led me down the steps into the Living Quarters and (eventually) into our shared room.

I just felt… _numb _inside. Taryn had me sit on my bed and then handed me a plate of food. My eyes rested on the sustenance, but my stomach lurched in protest. I took a bite of food, ignoring the uneasy feeling in my belly. Taryn joined me with her own plate of food. I forced myself to continue eating. Eventually I stopped trying altogether and just stared at the food. I pushed some of the venison around, but didn't make a move to continue.

"What's on your mind?" Taryn asked, setting her plate on the table next to her.

My mind drifted back to when I spotted Hulgar and Hreir playing with Balfhe. The smiles on all of their faces, the joyous laughter that emanating from all of them… I shook my head, letting her know that I didn't want to talk about it.

"Where'd you go, Skadi?" Taryn asked. "I almost had a heart-attack when I realized you were gone. My first thought was to strangle you when I saw you next, but… I saw you approaching from Dragonsreach, so I grabbed some food…"

I swallowed, hoping my voice didn't hitch. "Thanks," I muttered weakly.

I pushed some of the food around again, unsure if I should tell Taryn where I had gone, what I had seen and heard… "I went to see my parents." I paused. "I just… I just _watched _them. I thought about approaching, maybe to see if we could try again, but there was a boy…" I remembered hearing Balfhe laugh and squeal as Hulgar's beard tickled his cheek. "He was their _son. _My _brother_. And they just… They looked so happy to be together…" I remembered Hulgar chasing me, seeing me become what he's hated.

Taryn wrapped her arms around me, squeezing gently. I couldn't cry if I wanted to. I'd cried enough when I had rested in the Eldergleam Sanctuary. "And then I wandered," I continued quietly. "I took a few days trying to wrap my head around it. That I…" I choked off; unable to deal with the harsh truth.

Taryn gave me a squeeze before releasing me. "Skadi," Taryn said, "_we're_ your family. We'll take care of you like blood, all right? So please don't wander off again! I missed you… a lot."

_It doesn't matter. Nothing you say or do will change what I saw. _Slowly, I shook my head. I stood up carefully and set the plate on my bed. "I'm… I think I'll go for a bath," I murmured.

Taryn smiled. "I'll have more food for when you get back," she replied.

I tried to smile back, but it was weak and pathetic. Sighing for a third time, I walked out of the room and towards the bathing area. I didn't even get to the door before I felt the grief shoot through my body again. I collapsed against the cobblestone wall, sliding to the ground. I rested my face in my arms as tears fell from my eyes; my knees close to my chest.

"It's not my fault," I muttered hoarsely. "It's not my fault for what I am..."

I heard footsteps in the main hall. They were getting closer. "Skadi!" Elana cried. "You're back—!" I rested my eyes on her. My eyes were red from crying, that much was obvious. "What happened?!" Elana jogged over and sat next to me.

"N-Nothing," I replied weakly, wiping my eyes. "I'm fine—."

Elana took my hand in both of hers. I kept my eyes on my knees. "You're not 'fine', Skadi." Elana stared at me for a moment. "You're upset. What's bothering you?"

I swallowed again, unsure if I could repeat what I had told Taryn. "I-I went to see my parents," I began. T-They have a son—." Elana wrapped me in a tight hug. The next round of grief was worse than the last. I just sat there, crying like a weak… _whelp_.

I balled my hands into fists, bunching the fabric from Elana's clothes. She murmured something in my ear. It was supposed to be soothing, but the grief still came as she stroked my hair like she had done to Taryn all those weeks ago, after she had found the two of us after the twin full moons.

"Don't leave for so long, or at least tell us if you're going to be gone for a long time. Everyone was worried," Elana told me. I pulled away, wrapping my arms around my legs. "You should've seen Taryn. She was just short of transforming and tracking you down."

"I just... needed space to think." _And Taryn is just about as good at tracking as you are at reading maps, _I thought to the older Imperial woman, a ghost of a smile on my face.

Elana held me close again. I buried my face into her shoulder. "I understand." She pulled away. "But I was worried."

I wiped my eyes again. "Why were you worried about me? I'm not Taryn."

Elana smiled, moving a stray piece of hair from my face and tucking it gingerly behind my ear. "You're just as important as her." She turned my head so we were staring at each other. "I _do_ see you as a daughter, Skadi. Honestly, I do." I tore my gaze away first, unresponsive to the words. "Come, let's get you cleaned up and to bed. You look exhausted," Elana said as she stood up, offering her hand. Staring at it for a moment, I took it carefully. "Taryn's getting you some food?"

"Yes," I answered weakly.

Elana helped me to my feet and to the bath. When I finished, she led me to my room where Taryn was reading and waiting patiently.

I managed to eat a few bites of venison before my stomach lurched again. With heavy eyes, I slid into bed and covered myself with the blankets. I didn't care that it was still day. I just wanted to escape reality for a little bit.


	14. Chapter 13 - Caged Animal

Chapter Thirteen:

Caged Animal

**Middas 2 Last Seed 4E 199 4:20PM**

Three weeks passed since my return to Jorrvaskr. I'd spent the first few days resting after a few well-implied threats from Elana and Taryn, and when those two gave me the okay to be up and moving I immersed myself in training, teaching Taryn control, and lessons that Elana had set up for me when I had asked about education.

Aela seemed impressed at my progression with the bow and arrow. She even went as far as to say: "Not bad, whelp." I'd gone out on a few hunts with her; mostly just some deer and a few elk (and because Kodlak _made_ us go hunting together). We couldn't really stand to be around each other, but as long as I kept quiet there wasn't a reason for Aela to bark at me (both in the literal and figurative sense).

The only edge I had on the older Companion was my sense of smell and tracking. My hearing was better than most, but I still relied on my sense of smell before my sense of hearing. Aela was speechless when I had skinned the animals we'd killed with my steel dagger. When I asked her why she was so quiet, she simply replied with: "I didn't think a savage like you knew how to properly skin an animal.", which resulted in a smirk on my face.

After our most recent hunt together, Aela took the elk to the Drunken Huntsman, leaving me to take the remaining two deer to Hulda.

"Thank you, Skadi." Saadia, the Redguard woman who waitressed the Bannered Mare, smiled. "You can take it around back. I'll let Hulda know you're here." Saadia paused. "Is Aela with you?" I motioned with my head towards the Drunken Huntsman. "I see."

Without another word, Saadia rushed back inside while I walked around back and set the dead animals near what I assumed was a chopping block. Narrowing my eyes, I spotted dried blood on the axe that was stuck into the wooden stump. _I hope she cleans that off before she cuts the new meat, _I thought.

"Skadi!" Hulda called, making me jump. "My apologies. I'm glad you came when you did! I _just _ran out." I took a step back, smiling.

"It's not a problem," I assured the Nord innkeeper.

Hulda smiled in return and handed me two medium-sized coin purses. "For the two deer. You didn't run into any trouble did you?"

I shook my head. "No more than the usual."

Making a clicking noise with her tongue, Hulda dismissed me. Aela passed me with a large coin purse.

"Aela," I called after her. She stopped in her tracks, lips pursed. "Here." I handed her one of the coin purses but she put a hand up.

"You killed the two deer and skinned all three animals, so keep the coin." She opened the larger coin purse and added ten more gold to one of my pouches. "That's for skinning the elk." Without so much as another word, Aela ascended the step to the Wind district.

_Um... Thank you? _I tilted my head slightly at the gesture. _Ah well, I guess I can do some shopping while I'm here, _I thought with a smile.

I drifted from stand-to-stand, browsing the merchandise until I came up to Carlotta's stand again.

"Hello, Skadi, what can I do for you today?" she asked.

"Just doing some shopping. What do you have for sale?"

Carlotta smiled, gesturing to the items on display. "Take a look."

_/-\_

I placed the carrots, potatoes, and cabbage in the sack that I'd brought with me on the hunting trip, in case I'd crossed any wild plants that Arcadia, the owner of Arcadia's Cauldron, would need for her shop. Unfortunately, I didn't find anything. And what I did find Aela told me that they wouldn't do anything if mixed. I'd have to learn a few things about alchemy soon.

"Thank you, Carlotta," I said.

Carlotta chuckled. "I should be the one thanking you." She grinned. "I think Fralia is expecting you."

"I can't go back to Jorrvaskr without talking with her for a while now," I laughed.

Carlotta bid me a farewell as I strode over to Fralia. Her weathered features visibly brightened when she saw me approaching. "Good afternoon, Fralia," I greeted the woman respectfully. "How're you doing?"

"I'm doing well, Skadi. I thought you were about to head back to Jorrvaskr without talking to me," Fralia said with a smile.

"How could I live with myself if I didn't spend a few moments to talk with you?" I replied. "I would feel terrible."

Fralia and I spent perhaps half-an-hour talking about Whiterun and how I was doing after my long absence. Fralia had told me (when Taryn and I went to the market for some food) that when I had vanished she'd been worried—Braith and Lars were as well—that something had happened to me. I brushed it off, saying that I had gotten mixed up on my directions and ended up taking a bath in Hjaalmarch for a few days (that part explained why I was covered in dirt) after fighting off a few bandits (which explained the blood).

"I'm sorry, Fralia," I said, "but I need to get going." I lifted the sack a little bit to back-up my reason.

She patted my cheek and then my hand gently. "You best be off. The Divines know that the Companions have quite the appetite now." I laughed quietly at her statement.

As I made to turn the breeze shifted ever so slightly. My eyes snapped wide open as three distinct smells reached my nose. Everything around me slowed to a snail's pace as I searched for the source of the scents. Eventually, my eyes rested on _them._

Standing under the shade that the roof of Belethor's General Goods offered was Hreir, Hulgar, and Balfhe. Their eyes were trained on me (well, Balfhe was busy drinking in the new city), wide with shock and disbelief. _What are they waiting for—? Right… _Sighing, I shook my head, rubbing my eyes as I did so. While I looked rather tired and perhaps sick-looking, my wolf was howling, snarling, barking at me to get out of there—to run away from them—but my mind was racing with disbelief.

_How'd they find me?! When did they get here?! How long have they been here?! How much did they see?! _The questions were almost too much for me to handle, but a soft, soothing voice reached my ears.

"Are you okay, Skadi?" Fralia asked, placing a weathered hand on my own. "Gods, I never noticed how _warm _you are. Are you feeling okay?" My eyes rested on her.

I swallowed, trying to remain calm as the two Nords that I absolutely despised watched me. "I-I'm fine." I cleared my throat. "I better go, thank you again for sparing a few moments to talk."

Fralia laughed. "Don't thank me, dear. I enjoy talking with you. You always seem to have so many interesting stories to tell about hunting. I find myself envious most days."

I smiled as I walked away from the older woman. _If only she knew that I was lying about _how _I killed those animals... those people._

Out of my peripheral vision, I caught the slightest movement from beneath Belethor's store. That was enough incentive for me to run up the steps to the Wind district and hide behind the wall, trying to calm my pounding heart. Out of my own morbid curiosity, I poked my head around the side of the wall, watching as Hulgar and Hreir approached Fralia, Balfhe's head was turning left and right at the new sights. I placed a hand over my mouth to stifle a laugh on account of the boy.

I didn't stay to eavesdrop. I needed to get to my room... A place to think. The wild was out of the question. I couldn't find a place to transform and _not _draw attention to myself.

Racing up the step to Jorrvaskr, I shoved the doors open, placing the sack of vegetables on the table for Tilma to go through. Athis and Farkas were having a conversation over a few tankards of mead. The former seemed a little more out of it than Farkas (probably because of his Beast Blood).

I stumbled down the steps of Jorrvaskr until I barged into the living quarters, only to full-out sprint to my shared room, where Taryn was reading. I slammed the door closed, resting against it. My blood was burning, the heat traveling down my spine. _No! _I snarled to myself, pushing the wolf back. _You won't control me. Not now._

"Skadi! You're back—!" Taryn cut herself off as she took me in with her eyes. "Are you okay?"

I slid down to the floor, hands entwined with my hair. "How in Oblivion did they find me...?" I muttered, my hands moving from my hair to cover my face. "How did they find me?!"

"Who?" Taryn set the book on her bed as she glided over to me. I buried my face further into my hands. "_Who_?" Taryn repeated.

"H-Hulgar and Hreir," I stammered. "They brought their _son _with them!" My eyes shot to Taryn, who had a semi-guilty expression on her face. I instantly understood. "_You_. _Didn't_," I snarled, standing as my hands clenched and unclenched.

Taryn took a step back, her hands raised. "I-I only talked to them—!"

I shoved her back onto her bed. "If you _'just_ _talked'_ to them, then how in _Oblivion_ do they know where I live?!" I snarled.

Taryn sat up, shaking slightly from my outburst. Though not from fear; from something else. "I might've let it slip…" I growled, my body convulsing slightly. "I might've also said that they could visit whenever they wanted..."

My eyes widened. "You _what_?!" I whirled around and kicked the nearest thing, which was one of my boots I'd forgotten to put away. "Don't you get it, Taryn?!" I hissed. "_They_ _don't want me_! They have a _grave _with _my __name_ on it!"

Taryn's eyes widened at that revelation. "I-I—."

"You didn't know, did you? Why did you go in the first place?! I told you back in Second Seed all those weeks ago after Olava's reading! It's _my _business, _not yours_." I huffed. "You had _no right _to go there and talk to them."

Taryn opened her mouth only to be interrupted when Elana walked in. "I'm sorry, but there's a family here to see… Skadi." Elana's eyes were lit with happiness and... pain. Why pain?

"Send them away," I muttered. "I have nothing to say to them—to _any _of them."

Elana closed the door before assessing the scene before her. After making sure that Taryn wasn't maimed or harmed in any way, Elana gestured for me to sit. "They're your parents, aren't they?"

I sat down, not meeting the Imperial's eyes. "No." Taryn inhaled sharply for some reason. Either her wolf was trying to get out to defend itself from me or she was shocked at how easily I could deny the truth. She didn't understand—_none _of them did!

"Kodlak is talking with them right now," Elana stated. "I don't know how long he can keep lying."

I crossed my arms, my eyes pricking for some reason. "Get them out of here. _I don't want them here_."

Taryn stood up. "Perhaps if Hreir and Hulgar met with Skadi one-on-one?" Taryn must've been looking at me. "Skadi?"

I didn't reply. I felt didn't have a choice either way. I felt like a caged animal; they wouldn't let me go until I confronted these people.

Elana and Taryn shared a glance before Elana left the room. My anger was rising rapidly. It wasn't rising enough that my wolf would break through and force a transformation. I was angry that Taryn had stuck her nose into my business.

"I'm sorry, Skadi. I really am." Taryn hung her head as she left the room.

* * *

**Middas 2 Last Seed 4E 199 5:00PM**

Hreir and I stood opposite each other. While her arms were resting against her sides, mine were crossed defensively. I had _nothing _to say to say to this woman. I had _nothing _to say to this _family_! They didn't want me. They had been willing to _kill _me!

"Skadi…" Hreir began. A growl bubbled in my throat, threatening to slip through my teeth. "Can you talk?"

Rolling my eyes, I couldn't help but recall Taryn when she discovered me reading and her reaction when she saw my writing on that map. I kept my mouth shut, hoping Hreir would take the hint and just leave me alone. Or she could do me one better and leave Whiterun altogether.

"I know you're mad—."

My eyes narrowed at her. "Mad?!" I shouted. "You think I'm _mad_?!" Hreir jumped at my voice. "I'm more than 'mad', _Hreir_," I spat the name. "I'm infuriated to the point of no return! How could you _replace _me so easily? Didn't you feel _anything _when I was taken—?!"

"Of course I did—!"

I snarled out of instinct. "What about when I came back, huh?! I didn't _have _to come back! I came back because I was scared that you and _Hulgar _thought I was dead!"

"We did—!"

"And you still do, don't you?! I mean, your _son _doesn't even know about me—! Scratch that! He does know me! _As a corpse_!" I snarled at her. "I _saw_ the grave!" The door behind us rattled as Hulgar (no doubt) tested the door to get to Hreir's side. "Do you know what I went through when you and Hulgar threw me out?! I lost it!"

"Please, let me—!"

"Why should I let _you_ explain yourself?! You never gave _me_ a chance!" I shouted hoarsely. My wolf was started to awaken with all the shouting and anger. "I bet when you saw me running away that day, you _felt__ nothing_!"

I felt something hard slap me across the face, making me stumble backwards. I flashed my eyes to Hreir, whose hand was reddening—along with her face. "You listen to me, Skadi. You have no idea of the grief I endure each and every day." She swallowed, shaking her hand out. "I may show Hulgar the brave woman that I am, but inside I'm hurt. How can a mother cope with losing her _only __daughter_ to a _monster_? Not only the man who took you, but that beast inside you?"

I panted, my anger rising. "By making another one!" I growled. "That 'beast' has been the only form of companionship I've had for the past _nine years_!"

Hreir and I were inches apart. "Do you know what it's like to wake up everyday and stare at the face of your son? A boy who not only resembles your father and I, but also _the lost daughter_?"

"Do you know what it's like to be thrown out of _your own_ _home_ and return six years later to see a _replacement _running around?" I retorted. "And for the record, I don't _have _a mother and father anymore." I stepped away. "I've abandoned you the same way you abandoned me."

Hreir's blue eyes widened, tears threatening to spill over. "You…"

"Get out," I snarled, turning my back to her.

* * *

**Middas 2 Last Seed 4E 199 6:11PM**

I ate dinner in my room, avoiding the Companions and the family that decided to stay for dinner. Hulgar was going to be visiting with me next, then Balfhe if things went well. Taryn remained with me, trying to apologize over and over for what she'd done. She didn't know it yet, but, I already forgave her. I just needed to find a way to let her know not to stick her nose into my business.

I found a small amount of pleasure in seeing Hreir's reaction when I shouted at her... To let her see what became of me. I wasn't that sweet little girl that she oh-so-fondly remembered anymore. I wasn't that innocent, baby-faced daughter that she loved to show off to everyone. I was a Werewolf, and I would _always _be a Werewolf.

"I'm sorry, Skadi. I'm really, really sorry," Taryn muttered for the thousandth time.

I shook my head. "Don't worry about it. I've already forgiven you." I sipped some mead. "You gave me a chance to explain myself to them when _they_ didn't."

"Are you ready to face Hulgar? He seemed ready to murder you when Hreir came out in tears. Thankfully Hiemdall and I were keeping Balfhe busy—. Actually, the _entire _Circle was keeping the boy busy."

I nodded. "It's not like I have a choice." Taryn frowned, guilt set permanently on her face as she left the room, carrying our plates and tankards.

_/-\_

Hulgar came in a few minutes later. My anger renewed at the sight of the Nord and the iron mace hanging on his hip. We eyed each other for the longest time. There wasn't much to be said between the two of us. I'd shouted all my rage and anger at Hreir.

"Go ahead," I taunted the older Nord. "Kill me with that thing. After all, I'm a _monster_." His hand twitched towards the mace. "Too scared? Afraid that if you even _touch _me you'll become a Werewolf? Sorry to break the news to you, but _it doesn't work that way_."

Hulgar got into my face; I could smell his anger, his rage, and his _fear_. He was _scared _of me. "Don't raise your voice at me, _monster_—!" I grabbed his throat, my teeth sharpening. My eyes, no doubt, were already gold. That's all I wanted him to see. His eyes widened at the sight.

"I can do it right now," I replied. "I can let the wolf take over and I can rip your throat out without a second thought. But I won't." I threw him away from me, my teeth dulling and my eyes returning to silver. "Mostly because Taryn wouldn't be happy with the bloodstains that would be left behind."

Hulgar rubbed his throat. "You're just like the rest of them!"

I barked in laughter. "Like the rest of them? What? How many Werewolves did you see as a soldier?!" Hulgar opened his mouth, but reconsidered and closed it. "That's right. If you ever saw a Werewolf while fighting, _you wouldn't be__ alive _to tell the story."

Hulgar got to his feet as quickly as he could, fear oozing from him in torrents. "Get out," I muttered to the Nord. "I have nothing to say to you."

With a murderous glance back at me, Hulgar slammed the door shut, probably trying not to scream to the heavens in rage.

Taryn poked her head in as I paced. "That wasn't as loud as the first round... Ready for Balfhe?" she asked.

"Yeah, then they can all _leave me alone_."

_/-\_

Balfhe sat on the edge of my bed, legs swinging back and forth as he waited for me to say something. I didn't really say anything. I just observed him. So innocent, so sweet... As if he had no idea of the harshness of Tamriel. "Sit with me?" Balfhe suggested; patting the empty space next to him. "My mom always sits with me when she's helping me read." I tentatively sat next to Balfhe, who smiled and continued to swing his legs back and forth. "You don't talk a lot do you? I mean, Taryn said that you talk a lot..."

I cracked a smile. "I... I'm just shy," I answered. Balfhe had almost the same hair color as me—a shade lighter. He had Hreir's blue eyes and her nose, but his father's firm jaw and broad shoulders. He'd make a fine warrior one day.

"Me too!" Balfhe piped up. A laugh escaped my throat. "But Mendre and my parents think otherwise." _...Mendre? _"Mendre helps at the mill with my dad when an extra pair of hands is needed. He just came back a few months ago after a long trip to Riften to pray at the Temple of Mara."

I frowned. "Why there?"

Balfhe shrugged. "Something happened when he was my age and he's really upset about it. He doesn't like to talk about it much."

_I wonder what happened to him..._ "That's terrible."

Again, Balfhe shrugged. "He said he'd tell me when I'm older."

I gently ruffled his hair, making him laugh in delight. We sat there for a time, talking and occasionally sitting in silence. It was... strange. I didn't understand how Balfhe came from Hulgar and Hreir; he was so kind, innocent, and full of mischief. He didn't know about me—about my wolf—and he accepted me so easily. _Maybe Hulgar will tell him to stay away from me..._

Balfhe yawned gently, cluing me in that he was tired. "I think you need to get to bed," I muttered.

"I'm not..." Balfhe yawned, "... tired."

I stood up, hands on my hips. "Let's go." I offered my hand. Balfhe took it, only to fall face-first into my stomach, snoring lightly. Rolling my eyes, I picked him up underneath his arms and supported his back with my left arm while my right arm was supporting his bottom so he wouldn't fall and hit the ground. "I'll see if I can show you the market tomorrow," I whispered into his ear.

His arms wrapped around my throat gently, his warm breath hitting my neck as he turned his head. I took that as a yes. Supporting him easily with one arm, I opened the door and walked out into the hall to see it empty. _Where are they? _I wondered. Shrugging, I made my way to the door that'd lead me to the main hall.

The chattering came to a halt when _everyone _(including Hulgar and Hreir) rested their eyes on me as soon as I came to a stop at the top of the stairs. Taryn had a huge, mocking smile on her face as she took in the sight before her. Elana was on the verge of tears (I think) while Kodlak offered a proud grin. _Elana and Kodlak are more like parents to me. _

"I-I think we should head to the Bannered Mare," Hreir said weakly, her voice wavering. Cautiously, she walked over to Balfhe and I, her arms stretched out. I made to hand Balfhe back to her, when his grip unconsciously tightened around my throat. _Oh no._

"Let go, Balfhe," I muttered.

"So... warm..." he gurgled in his sleep (causing all the Werewolves in the room to laugh quietly).

Elana came to the rescue and helped pry the boy from my neck. "There you go, and not a scratch on him nor a bite _anywhere_." Hulgar tensed at the venom that laced Elana's voice.

"I think Balfhe will want to come back. Will you still be here?" Hreir asked me.

I opened my mouth to say, "Maybe" when Kodlak spoke up. "Of course she will be," he said with a smile. "Everyone's taken a liking to that boy, anyhow. I haven't seen Skjor smile like that in _months_. _Years_, perhaps."

"Better not let the big bad wolf hear that," Vilkas replied with a sly smile.

The farewell was short, seeing as how the only member of the family that I liked so far was sleeping. When they were gone, Taryn placed a hand on my shoulder. "You did great, Skadi."

I smiled. "I... I'm going to go hunt for a bit." Taryn nodded. "Care to join me?" _I'm going to give you a proper beat-down, _I thought with a smile.

She clapped my shoulder. "Sure." It almost felt unfair about how completely unaware she was about what'd happen.

Taryn walked downstairs as Kodlak and Elana wrapped me in a tight hug. I remained as a statue, unsure of what to do. "We're so proud of you, Skadi," Kodlak said in the tone that he only used with Taryn.

The way he said that... it made me feel _good _inside. I didn't know why, but I honestly didn't really care at the moment. Kodlak and Elana were definitely better than Hulgar and Hreir.


	15. Chapter 14 - A New Face

Chapter Fourteen:

A New Face

**Turdas 3 Last Seed 4E 199 9:03AM**

"Gods, Skadi!" Taryn moaned, nursing her swollen jaw. "Where in _Oblivion_ did you learn to fight like that?! You'd put Vilkas and Skjor to shame!"

I snickered, adjusting the tunic on my body for a moment. "It's easy," I began. "I just fight like my wolf—minus the claws and teeth, of course."

Taryn glared at me. "_Of course_."

We passed by the stables in no time. The Khajiit caravan was back, which prompted me to hold my breath and not make eye-contact with _any _of them, but it didn't stop Taryn from waving at them. When we were safely away from the catkin, I stopped Taryn. "Come here," I growled.

"What're you…?"

Taryn's eyes lit up with shock when she spotted the Magicka in my left hand. It wasn't fire Magicka. It was healing Magicka. "Move your hand," I instructed. Taryn moved her hand as I forced the Magicka from my hand towards her swollen jaw and split lip. The swelling went down quickly, and the bruising faded into a yellow color. Her split lip was healed, and it didn't look like it'd scar.

"Where'd you learn that?!" she exclaimed, wincing again and holding her jaw.

I hadn't even bothered to transform before I started beating the living daylights out of her. Of course, once I _did _transform and waited for Taryn to finish, I _really _let her have it.

"I had to learn how to heal myself _somehow_." Taryn looked at the ground sheepishly. "It's still going to be sore for a bit," I told her, the Magicka vanishing from my hand. I moved my hair to my left side, pulling the tunic down enough to show Taryn a _very_ thin and pale scar that ran from the bottom of my right ear to the bottom of my neck.

I could feel her eyes widen as I felt her finger trace the scar. "Where'd you get it?"

I shrugged, placing my hair back over my shoulder to hide the scar. "I _think _the Reach. The Forsworn overwhelmed me once and got a good swipe in there, but it happened so long ago I could've gotten this scar from a hunter that was sent out to claim my pelt."

"You obviously won that fight though."

I grinned. "We wouldn't be having this conversation if I didn't win, now would we?"

Taryn shook her head. "Any other scars I should know about so in case I happen to see one and point it out?"

I grinned. "I have one on my back and another on my front. The front scar isn't as noticeable—it's like it's not even there." I motioned with my arm that we should keep walking. The wind shifted directions and the scent of Khajiit was starting to cloud my mind.

"And these scars don't appear on you when you're a wolf?" Taryn asked as we walked up the cobblestone walkway.

I shook my head. "Nope. I don't _think_ so, at least. I never really bothered to check."

I picked up the pace. Taryn seemed to have noticed as she began to laugh quietly. "You just want to get cleaned up so you can see Balfhe."

I smirked, not really answering Taryn. I liked Balfhe, but I didn't really see him as a brother. I just saw him as someone that I enjoy spending time around. Just a friend.

* * *

**Turdas 3 Last Seed 4E 199 11:21AM**

I opened the door to the Bannered Mare, allowing Taryn in ahead of me. While she walked past me I couldn't hold back a smug grin when I spotted the fading bruises along her jawline and neck. _That's what you get for sticking your nose into my business, _I thought. Even though I'd used some Magicka on them, they'd still be visible for a while.

"I'm sure Hulda will have something for those bruises," I said plainly, walking in behind Taryn. "If not, Saadia will."

Growling under her breath, Taryn strode over to the counter where Hulda was drying a tankard with a rag. I glanced around the inn and took in the large fire in the center to keep the patrons warm, and the two benches and two chairs which were set up around it. Off to my left was a separate room which held supplies and extra food. I'd never been inside the Bannered Mare before, seeing as how Hulda came to Jorrvaskr when she required meat, and when I'd bring the venison I'd take it out back.

"You came!" a familiar voice shouted from above.

I brought my eyes up to see Balfhe grinning down at me. His mother and father seemed to have rented the room that overlooked the lower level of the inn. His blue eyes were alight with happiness and excitement. I waved in response at the same time Hulgar came into view, mace on his hip, his arms crossed, and a stubborn glare in place. Hreir appeared a few seconds later, a ghost of a smile on her face.

I didn't know why she was smiling at me. I held no love for her. I held _nothing _but hatred and contempt for she and her husband. But Balfhe was different.

"Can I _please_ go play with Skadi?!" Balfhe asked his father. I snickered quietly at the enthusiasm in his voice.

"Ask your mother," Hulgar answered with a scowl. He obviously still remembered my little demonstration the other week. _Good, _I thought with a smug grin directed towards him.

"Mom...?" Balfhe asked sweetly.

Hreir watched her son, then her eyes rested on me for a moment. I stood there, arms crossed and eyes narrowed. "I see no harm in it."

He snorted as he vanished somewhere into the room. Probably to sit in one of the chairs and mope over the fact that his son was friends with a Werewolf.

"Mom?" Balfhe asked his mother again.

She sighed, placing a hand on Balfhe's hair. "Go ahead." Hugging his mother quickly, Balfhe ran out of the room. I could hear him bounding down the stairs. Hreir's blue eyes locked onto me again, and I could see the fear in them. Frankly, it wasn't hard to miss.

Shrugging, I spotted Balfhe running down the stairs, a smile on his face. "Will Taryn be coming with us?" he asked me as he came to a stop.

"Why don't you go ask her?"

Balfhe sped over to Taryn and yanked on her tunic. "Taryn!"

"Yes?" she answered Balfhe.

I felt an eyebrow rise when I saw Balfhe giving Taryn a strange look. "Will you come and play with Skadi and I? She said she'd show me the market today."

My jaw basically hit the floor. "I thought you were asleep when I said that!"

Balfhe shook his head. "I just like being carried."

"It explains why you didn't want to let my neck go," I grumbled.

Balfhe smiled sheepishly, his blue eyes full of mischief. "Sorry, but you're just so warm!" Taryn grinned at Balfhe. "Will you come and play with us?!" Balfhe repeated to Taryn.

"Sure."

Beaming, Balfhe ran back to me, clasping my hand tightly in his smaller one. "Why're you so warm?" he asked me while the three of us walked towards the exit. Hulda and Saadia were whispering to each other. I chose not listen, dreading that they were discussing the obvious similarities between Balfhe, Hulgar, Hreir, and I.

I opened my mouth to answer the boy when I felt someone yank me away from him and shove me against the wall. A low, vicious snarl escaped my lips. Hulgar was holding me against the wall, hatred evident in his eyes. Taryn's eyes were wide with shock, but she ushered Balfhe out of the inn before chaos ensued.

"Get off of me!" I growled, struggling against the Nord.

His grip tightened the same time my wolf woke up. My blood began to burn, and it was only getting worse. "You let _any _harm come to him and I will have no problem killing you—!"

I snarled again. "You had your chance all those weeks ago. What stopped you? _Fear_?" Ruefully, Hulgar released me. "Like right now. You _could've _strangled me. But you didn't."

"I don't trust you, _Werewolf_."

Deciding against lashing out at the Nord, I settled for growling quietly at him. "Good to know we're on the same page," I muttered too low for Hulgar to hear as he stormed away from me and up the steps to his room.

Sighing, I hurried to catch up with Balfhe and Taryn. The latter was showing Balfhe the different stands, while the former kept running around greeting everyone he could.

_What possessed them to come here to begin with? I mean, Taryn told them where I was—that I was still a Werewolf... _Shaking my head clear of those thoughts, I met Taryn and Balfhe by Belethor's General Goods. "I want to show you something before we go and play tag," I whispered into Balfhe's ear

"Really?!"

"Mhm." I smiled. Taryn raised an eyebrow but I ignored it. We walked around Jorrvaskr, waving to Ria and Torvar (Torvar made a slur about something, which forced me to cover Balfhe's ears) as we passed them. "Okay, here we go," I said as the three of us approached the outpost that overlooked the western part of Whiterun Hold.

"Wow," Balfhe said, taking in the large fields that surrounded Whiterun while I held Balfhe up so he could see. We were behind Jorrvaskr, standing at the outlook, admiring the view. "We don't have a view like this back home." He pouted. "Just trees and the river."

I couldn't help but snicker at him. "Sounds like Haafingar and the Pale," I quipped.

Balfhe stared at me with wide, curious eyes. "Where have you gone? Have you been to Markarth? I heard there are men and women that are really mean and dressed like deer. What about Riften?"

"The Forsworn?" I offered. "And yes, I have been to the Rift."

Balfhe nodded. "I also heard that they are led by these ugly bird ladies."

I pursed my lips. "What kind of bedtime stories does Hulgar tell you?" Taryn must've had the same expression that I had on my face. _Who would tell a little kid about the Hagravens?!_

"Not my dad! Mendre! He travels a lot when he feels the need to get away. I don't like it when he leaves though," Balfhe sighed.

I pointed to a large building that was concealed in the thick clouds that enveloped the Throat of the World, hoping to change the subject. "That's High Hrothgar," I told Balfhe (stunning Taryn in the process). "Ever been up there?"

Balfhe shook his head. "No, but I want to one day! Have you been up there?"

I bit my lip as memories of blood and murder ravaged my mind. The screams, the pleas for mercy... "Y-Yes, I have. But I've never seen the Greybeards." _Almost had the pleasure to meet them, considering they weren't too keen on letting me leave alive._

"I want to be like you and travel all over Skyrim!" Balfhe declared.

"No," I growled before I could stop myself, nearly dropping Balfhe to the ground (Taryn caught Balfhe before he did). "Don't be like me, Balfhe."

"Hey, Balfhe," Taryn said, pulling the young Nord's attention away from me. "See that out there?" She pointed to the Throat of the World. "That's the summit, the tallest place in all of Skyrim. No one except the Greybeards has ever been to its peak."

"That's so cool! I wonder what's up there?! Treasure, toys, all sorts of cool swords and axes?!" Balfhe said, listing off random things. "I bet _a lot _of snow."

"I'm sure there's a lot of snow." She grinned at the boy. "I don't know what's up there. Maybe one day we'll find out."

I heard the door open and close behind us. _Either Aela or Farkas, _I thought. It _was _around that time that Aela came to practice her archery.

"_Balfhe_!" Elana chimed when she spotted us. Balfhe whirled around, smiling at Taryn's mom.

"Hi! Skadi was just showing me the wild. She seems to really like it."

I chuckled while Taryn laughed. "Skadi _loves _the wild, Balfhe. Some nights we can't stop her from camping! She's a wild child for sure." She ruffled Balfhe's hair a little bit. "Like you."

I couldn't stop the laughter as it escaped my throat. Taryn was tearing up from her own while Elana shot the two of us a knowing look. "Are you hungry?" she asked the little boy.

Balfhe shook his head. "No ma'am. My mom made sure I had a good breakfast." Balfhe's stomach snarled in protest.

"He _has _to be your brother," Taryn whispered into my ear. "He has the same appetite as you do!"

I smirked. "But he's not eating for himself and a Werewolf entity."

"He may as well be."

After a quick lunch, Taryn, Balfhe and I were walking through the Wind district and admiring the homes when Lars and Braith whirled around the corner. They grinned when they spotted us. "See, Braith?!" Lars pointed to me and then Balfhe. "I _told_ you he looked like her!"

"All right, all right! You were right and I was wrong." The Redguard girl shook her head. "Do you want to play tag with us?" she asked the three of us.

"Sure!" Balfhe looked up at me. His eyes suddenly as full as a doe's, his lip jutting out enough that I felt my resolve to say "no" weakening. "_Please_, Skadi? Can I play with them?"

"You and Taryn can join too. The more the merrier!" Braith piped up.

"I-I guess," I replied when Balfhe's face became too… too… adorable? Was that the word I wanted to use? Regardless, it worked for the moment.

"Tag, you're it!" Braith said, tapping my hand and darting off.

"Give them a head-start, O fearsome hunter," Taryn said before she ran off.

_I'll give you a "head-start", _I thought as I chased after her.

_"But even something as menial as a candle can bring light to darkness."_

Olava's reading rang through my mind again. _Why _that _phrase? _I wondered. Shaking my head, I continued to chase Taryn throughout the Plains district, waiting until the kids were far enough away that I could go after them too.

* * *

**Turdas 3 Last Seed 4E 199 6:44PM**

Balfhe was giggling as he gently hit my head with his small Nord hands. "That was fun!" Taryn had rented one of Skulvar Sable-Hilts horses after we had finished playing tag with Braith and Lars. I'd followed at a safe distance (horses didn't like me very much and I didn't really like them either) rather than ride with them. "I want to ride that horse again! I want to go play with Braith and Lars again!"

I lifted Balfhe over my head so he was standing on his feet. Fralia was taking an evening stroll, a smile on her face when she spotted us three.

"Hello there," she greeted us. "I didn't get a chance to talk with you today, Skadi."

"I'm sorry, Fralia. I had… prior commitments." I gestured to Balfhe.

Fralia smiled, offering him her hand. "Hello. My name is Fralia Gray-Mane."

"Hi! My name's Balfhe, and that's Taryn! And that's Skadi! She's my best friend!" My eyes went wide at his declaration.

"Well… _that _hurt," Taryn growled. "And I let him ride a horse!"

I laughed. "Too bad you didn't let him ride a Werewolf instead," I said too quietly for Fralia or Balfhe to hear.

Taryn rolled her eyes. I wouldn't have sprinted off into the woods and eaten the poor boy. I'd just trot along the plains, hidden within the tall grass until I had to take Balfhe back. While Balfhe told Fralia about his day, I noted that he looked exhausted, despite having _so much _energy.

"All right, Balfhe," I said, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder, "let's get you back to—."

"Excuse me, Skadi but…" Fralia narrowed her eyes at me then Balfhe. "Is Balfhe your brother?" she asked.

I opened my mouth to reply when Taryn swooped in. "No. Balfhe is her… cousin," Taryn said after a quick second of thought. _Balfhe and I can pass as cousins. _Distant _cousins._

"Oh. Sorry for assuming, but… Balfhe looks so much like you," the older Nord woman said with a weathered smile. "Ah well. Have a nice evening, you three." She left promptly, gliding up the steps to the Wind district with the smile still in place.

Balfhe tugged on my arm. I crouched down so I was eye-level with him. "I'm hungry," he declared.

My stomach snarled quietly in agreement with him. "Very well, let's head back."

A few people waved as we walked past them, but they were more interested in getting home before darkness fell over the city. Hardly anyone would be out by the time the torches were lit.

"There are those who believe that when night descends upon Skyrim, Werewolves descend upon the unwary..." I muttered, remembering a phrase from a book that I'd read a while back.

"Say what?" Taryn muttered.

I shrugged. "It's just a sentence I read a while ago. It's actually true." I could recall many animals—men and mer among them—that were tired enough to not care where they rested (which was, more often than not, my territory for that evening).

_/-\_

We'd just walked into the Bannered Mare when Balfhe's eyes lit up again.

"Mendre!" Balfhe shouted when he spotted a tall, broad-shouldered Nord man with blonde hair and blue eyes sitting next to Hulgar and Hreir.

"Balfhe! There you are! I was starting to miss you!" the Nord, Mendre, replied. _He looks... _"Who's your friend—? Ah! Taryn!" Mendre beamed when he spotted Taryn. "I didn't know you lived here!"

"I said I was a Companion," she responded.

I shot her a look. "No you're not—." She jabbed her elbow into my ribs.

"Yes, I _am_," she replied quietly.

Mendre grinned after Balfhe had run back to his parents. "How about that mead? Would your beautiful friend like to join us?" His gaze reminded me of Tralen a little bit. But it wasn't as _hungry _as Tralen's had been.

Taryn stole a glance at me. "I think she wouldn't mind." _Obviously I didn't beat you hard enough, _I thought angrily to Taryn as the three of us sat at a table while Saadia served us the mead.

"I'm glad you came by, Taryn," Mendre smiled. "I was beginning to think that you'd never come back to Mixwater Mill."

My eyes widened slightly, but not enough to draw attention._ Mixwater Mill... Mendre... Something's telling me I should know this..._

I sipped my mead slowly, averting my eyes from Mendre while I tried to figure out why in Oblivion this "Mendre" character was familiar to me. Every time I looked at him, that terrible memory came back to my mind. "Balfhe said that you go to the Temple of Mara…?" Taryn asked, sipping her mead.

Mendre nodded. "That's right."

"Why?" I asked. "You're not wearing an Amulet of Mara, and you're not dressed in the robes of a monk or a priest." _Well, as far as I can tell for the amulet..._

Mendre shrugged. "I… lost someone important to me when I was a young boy. Older than Balfhe, but… I never got over it. It was my fault, anyway." I wanted to find out more, but Mendre smiled at the two of us. "I must admit, I've never seen _silver _for an eye color before. Grey? Certainly. Not pure silver though. How'd you do it?" Mendre asked me.

I pursed my lips. "_A lot_ of Magicka," I replied. Taryn was stifling her laughter by placing a hand over her mouth. "What happened when you were younger?" I pressed.

Mendre's expression grew sombre. "I was playing with a friend when she was kidnapped." He bit his lip. "Gods, if I hadn't been so afraid I could've saved her from that man." He stole a glance at Balfhe and his parents. My own eyes rested on the small family. "They don't trust me, you know."

_That _brought me up short. "Really? Seems like Balfhe _adores _you," Taryn stated, sipping her mead.

Mendre shrugged. "They forgave me after three years. But I guess it's my own conscience that's telling me I don't deserve it."

I didn't respond.

"Well, those eyes of yours are beautiful." He lifted my hand and pressed his lips against it. He set it down, winking at me playfully. "What's your name?" he asked, trying to change the subject.

I opened my mouth, readying myself with a fake name (a habit that hadn't been lost yet) when Balfhe hurried over to me. "Skadi, are you staying for dinner?!" Balfhe asked excitedly. "My mom is making smoked venison with vegetables and she asked me to ask you!" My mouth began to water at the mention of (perhaps) my favorite meal.

I noticed how tense Mendre had grown over the few seconds that Balfhe had spoken. Taryn noticed as well. "Um…" I swallowed the saliva that pooled in my mouth. It was _beyond _tempting to stay and eat the meal that was the only thing that reminded me of my past.

"S-Skadi?"


	16. Chapter 15 - Hide and Seek

Chapter Fifteen:

Hide and Seek

**Turdas 3 Last Seed 4E 199 7:25PM**

"S-Skadi?" Mendre repeated, his voice was weaker than it had been when he had first said my name. He pushed his chair back so he was standing. "T-That's impossible...!"

Taryn and I shared a confused glance. "What in Oblivion...?" I murmured too quietly for any of the patrons to hear. Taryn shrugged in response. Mendre was really confusing me.

And then, I remembered.

"_You_!" I snarled, leaping to my feet at the same time I shoved him back. "_You _did this to me!"

Taryn jumped to her feet and got between me and Mendre. "Skadi, _calm down_."

I glared daggers at her. "Taryn this is the _boy _responsible for _this_!" I gestured to my body—to what lurked beneath my human skin. "_He _was the one who _abandoned _me!"

Balfhe had scurried back up the steps to Hrier, who was watching the scene unfold from the room she'd rented with Hulgar.

"Skadi… I couldn't have done anything to help you! I was just a kid—!" Mendre exclaimed uselessly.

I shoved Taryn out of the way (she landed easily on her feet) and pushed Mendre away again. He stumbled over a chair and landed hard on his back. We had the _entire _inn's attention now. Hulda and Saadia wisely remained by the counter.

"_Do you realize what happened to me_?" I snarled to Mendre.

He sat up, rubbing his head as he did so. "N-No."

I grabbed the collar of his tunic so we were inches apart. "That man you left me with? He's a _Werewolf_," I whispered so only Mendre heard. His face paled considerably. "You can guess what happened to me then?" I shoved Mendre away from me.

"I-I—!"

"You shouldn't have run away! You should've grabbed me and _then _run away!" I hissed.

"Skadi, I couldn't have fought him if I tried! I was only eleven years old!"

Taryn grabbed my wrist, pulling me back. "Enough, Skadi." I met Taryn's eyes. "Let's go home."

I huffed. Mendre was shaking slightly at the revelation I'd given him. Balfhe was hiding behind Hreir, but his eyes still held the question he asked me about staying for dinner. "Sorry Balfhe," I told him. "I can't stay for dinner."

I spun on my heel, ripping my wrist from Taryn's hand, and stalked out of the inn. I was halfway up the steps to the Wind district when Taryn caught up to me.

"You know he couldn't have fought Tralen off, Skadi."

I narrowed my eyes. "He could've tried—."

"No. He couldn't have." She stopped me again. "If he tried to fight Tralen, Mendre would be dead and you would still be a Werewolf. You'd have Mendre's blood on your hands."

I glared at her. "If he were the one to be hiding in that bush, I would've done _anything _to save him."

"What could a ten-year-old girl do?" Taryn retorted. I didn't have an answer. "See? You were just as powerless as he."

_She's right,_ I thought bitterly._ I couldn't have done anything. If I did, Tralen would've killed me and probably turned Mendre instead. _I rubbed my eyes for a moment. _Maybe there was a reason why _I _was taken and turned and not him… Besides Tralen's obvious reminders:_ _"You're here to help me create a new pack. Nothing more, nothing less."_

I felt a smile twitch at my lips. "I hate that about you," I said after thinking through Taryn's argument.

"What?" Taryn replied.

"You're always right."

A smile appeared on her face, remembering how she had said something similar to me a few weeks ago when she revealed her secret to the Circle.

"I'm not _always _right."

I snorted. "I know. You're wrong over half the time—!"

"I'm going to make you eat those words!" I sprinted up the steps and around the Gildergreen, shoving a few guards out of the way as Taryn chased me all the way to Jorrvaskr.

* * *

**Sundas 6 Last Seed 4E 199 9:11AM**

"Promise me you'll come and visit?" Balfhe asked.

I knelt on the ground so I was eye-level with the boy. "I promise I'll come and visit once a month." A huge smile adorned his face before he wrapped his arms around my neck, squeezing tightly. Balfhe, Hulgar, Hreir, and Mendre had stayed for most of the week. They would've stayed longer (much to my chagrin) but a courier had arrived stating that Hulgar and Mendre were needed back at the mill soon.

Things were tense between Mendre and I after the little confrontation at the Bannered Mare. It also didn't help that Balfhe dragged Mendre and I along when he went to the market either to look at the items or play with Lars and Braith. Once, while Balfhe was playing tag with Lars (Braith had lessons that day), Mendre and I sat on a nearby bench and watched Balfhe as he ran past (I could hear and smell Balfhe, but I didn't tell Mendre that). Mendre _tried _to have a conversation with me, but I blatantly ignored him.

Hulgar scoffed, pulling me from my thoughts. "Perfect. Now we have to deal with a _monster_ coming to visit us." _Make that twice a month, _I added mentally.

If I was normal, I wouldn't have been able to hear that. If Taryn was normal, she wouldn't have been able to hear it. But we _weren't _normal. Sharing a glance, Taryn strode over to the side of the carriage that Hulgar was sitting on, climbed up the side quietly, and leaned forward so she was right in his ear.

"You know," Taryn said to Hulgar (who jumped about two feet in the air), "Skadi _can _hear you as if you were talking directly to her… right?"

Hulgar rubbed his face a few times to try and regain his composure. I shot a sarcastic glance his way and pretended to mouth a howl. "Gods-dammit…" he growled.

Laughing quietly, Taryn jumped down from the carriage and returned to Balfhe, Mendre, and I.

"I can't wait to show you the mill and the river and the forest and the—." I put a hand over Balfhe's mouth to shut him up.

"I can't wait to see them either," I replied as I moved my hand away from his mouth. "Ready?" I asked. Balfhe lifted his arms so I could pick him up. As if he weighed nothing, I lifted him into the air and placed him on the carriage. "Behave, all right?" I said.

Out of my peripheral vision, I spotted Hreir smiling at me for some odd reason. Shaking my head, I ruffled Balfhe's hair (prompting him to do the same to me). Before I could climb into the carriage after him, he scrambled to Hreir's side, sticking his tongue out at me childishly.

"Skadi…" Mendre mumbled, his hands wringing together nervously. "I'm glad you're all right."

I crossed my arms as I turned to face him. "Yeah. Me too."

"Maybe we can get together and catch up on things," Mendre offered.

I snorted. "I wouldn't tell you _anything _about what I've done in the past nine years."

"Oh... Right."

I lowered my arms. "Take care of Balfhe, all right? He's a good kid and he looks up to you."

Mendre nodded. "I'm not going to let anything happen to him." I offered my hand and Mendre took it, shaking it once before pulling me into a tight hug. I froze at the gesture. "I missed you." _That _was enough for me. I shoved Mendre away from me and took a step away.

Taryn had her hand over her mouth, stifling her laughter at my reaction to Mendre's words. _Round two... _I thought to my friend. Mendre didn't wait for me to explain why I pushed away from him as he climbed into the carriage, sitting next to Hulgar.

"And Skadi!" Mendre called, undaunted by the shove. "I found you! It took me nine years, but I finally found you!"

A smile appeared on my face, though I wasn't entirely certain as to why.

"Everyone ready?" Bjorlam asked at the same time the horse whinnied impatiently.

"Yeah," Hulgar answered.

Bjorlam nodded, his eyes focused on his sand-colored horse. "All right then, we're off!" He whipped the reigns once, prompting the horse to trot forward.

"Bye, Skadi!" Balfhe shouted, waving his hand. "I'll see you soon!"

"Count on it!" I shouted back, waving.

I stopped waving when the carriage had turned down the road. "We should race to Jorrvaskr so you can wave from the outpost," Taryn suggested.

I shook my head. "That's fine. I... I just feel like taking my time getting home."

Taryn grabbed my neck and pushed me into the dirt. "You're not as scary as you try to make yourself out to be, you know," Taryn said, pinning my arms to the ground.

I kicked her off of me. "You want to see how scary I can get?"

Taryn shook her head as she stood up. "I'm good." She brushed the dirt from her trousers. "It wasn't _that _bad was it?" she asked.

"No," I replied. "I got a lot of things off of my chest and I feel better." Taryn smiled. "Just don't stick your nose into my business again, all right? Or what I unleashed on you before will _pale _in comparison to what I have planned."

Taryn laughed nervously as the two of us walked back up to Whiterun.

As soon as we entered the gate and passed the Drunken Huntsman, I heard someone calling for me. "Skadi!" Saadia called, running from the Bannered Mare quickly. "Hreir had left this for you. Gods, am I glad you didn't leave with them!" She handed me something wrapped in cloth.

"Thanks, Saadia." _I wouldn't have left with them if my life depended on it!_

With a smile, the Redguard woman darted back to the inn. "What's in there?" Taryn asked.

I shrugged. "I don't know."

"Open it and find out!"

With a smile, I unwrapped the cloth to reveal a stuffed toy. It was old, but didn't show much wear and tear. "What in Oblivion...?" I muttered.

"There's a note on the belly!" Taryn said, snatching the note. "Dawwww..."

"Give. Me. That." I snatched it from her hands and stared at the letter for a time.

_"You used to sleep with this stuffed bear every night when you went to bed. His name is Bjorn. Remember?"_

I stared at the bear for a moment. The memories came back, albeit slowly. "Huh," I said, turning the animal over a few times. "Bjorn..."

* * *

**Tirdas 8 Last Seed 4E 199 11:57AM**

From my vantage point I watched the snowflakes as they fluttered to the snowy ground below me, while some landed gently against my ebony-colored fur. I lazily rested atop a large outcropping of rock, my eyes observing Taryn as she stalked the small game that'd begun digging into the frozen ground. My front paws were in front of me, dangling over the edge of the rock that I was resting on. From where I was, I had a perfect view of the valley around us.

The sky was a bleak grey color, allowing the large and small snowflakes fall freely to the frozen earth. The cold air stung my nostrils a little bit, but it didn't bother me. The small snow fox that Taryn had set her sights on moved on from the hole in the snow that it had created, deciding that its prey had moved on. The small animal buried its black nose into the snow—probably trying to find the scent of new prey—and completely oblivious to the larger predator that was stalking it.

My own hunt was long since finished. I'd tracked a snowy sabrecat that had made a den near Saarthal; and it was _very _satisfying, to say the least, but not as satisfying as Khajiit. Old habits would die hard.

The sounds of snarls and cries reached my ears, making them flicker back and forth. My eyes darted downward, towards the area where Taryn was. The snow fox was nothing more than a mangled pile of bones and a few tendons that Taryn didn't want.

As if she sensed my gaze, Taryn brought her attention up to me, a wolfish smile on her face. Taryn knew I was watching her. She just didn't know _how _I got up here. Taryn lowered her muzzle to the snow for a brief moment, inhaling slightly, then she lifted her muzzle up and sniffed, trying to find my scent. I wanted to teach her how to track and hunt in conditions where there wasn't a lot of cover and she'd stick out like a sore thumb. What better place than a valley covered in snow?

While she tried to find the path I took to reach my resting spot, I came to the decision that we'd have to head home soon. We were already out far too long for my liking. Usually I wouldn't really care about being so far out during the day, but in a place where little cover was offered, my fight or flight instinct was telling me to run back to the safety of Whiterun Hold.

A low whine reached my ears, making them flick back and forth and pulling me from my thoughts. Turning my head, I spotted Taryn staring at me, a slight tilt to her head and a questioning look in her golden eyes. Snorting, I stood up and shook the snow from my fur, and then walked over to her. Her muzzle was bloodied slightly from the snow fox, but I knew that her hunger wasn't fully sated.

With a smile, I growled gently while motioning my head towards the valley below. Taryn nodded her agreement after eyeing the valley below us. She still needed to learn how to "talk" like a Werewolf. It was mostly gestures with our heads, paws, and bodies, but the eyes held the most emotions.

Jumping and leaping to the bottom of the valley, Taryn's fur was soaked with snow when she had landed in (what appeared to be) heavily packed snow, but ended up sinking face-deep into the snow. I had to dig her out and pull her out by her tail (something she didn't appreciate but there wasn't any other way to get her out).

We passed Saarthal a while later. Taryn's head swiveled towards the Nordic ruin. It was blatantly clear that she was hungry, and the hapless researchers there would help to quell that hunger. But that was her wolf talking. Growling quietly, I nipped at her hind leg, a warning that we need to avoid the Ruins—or _any _place that would be visited by the men or mer that weren't Werewolves. If anyone were to see us right now (from a distance at least) we could be mistaken for regular wolves, or perhaps a cross between an ice wolf and one of the wolves that lurked within the plains that surrounded Whiterun.

Taryn yelped at the sudden bite, glaring at me. My ears flattened against my skull, teeth bared as another growl released from my throat. Instead of arguing with me (I was suddenly grateful that Taryn didn't know how to communicate with me), she continued walking past the ruin, disappointment evident in her eyes.

As we walked, my ears remained up and alert. My hackles were raised; it felt like someone was watching us. We _were _in a valley, after all. It wouldn't be uncommon for someone to see us if they were walking on the icy terrain above us. But the little voice in my mind told me that it'd be unlikely that anyone would come _this _far north wearing little-to-no clothing—.

_Snap! _My head whirled at the source of the noise, only to see an arrow careening towards me. I leapt out of the way as fast as I could. The arrow missed my neck, but it hit my hind leg instead. The metal _burned _when it lodged itself in my muscle, and I couldn't hold back a yelp of pain. Taryn whirled around, her nostrils flaring, trying to find the danger. Painfully, I inhaled the air but smelled nothing. _Gods-dammit! _Whoever they were, they were upwind from us.

Taryn hurried to my side, her eyes examining the arrow. Every second felt like I was being swallowed whole by the fiery pits of Oblivion. Lowering her ears, Taryn clamped her teeth on the arrow as close to the wound as she could get and yanked it out, making me snarl harshly in pain. I'd have to wait until we were safe to heal myself.

I examined the arrow closely as I stood on my legs, my eyes widening when I realized the metal that had been used. I spun my head around in time to see two men adorned in furs, bows raised and arrows nocked, aimed at _us_.

_Silver Hand!_ As the first Silver Hand released an arrow, I lunged at Taryn, shoving us both out of the way. The silver arrows lodged in the snow too close for comfort. I could hear one of the men above us cursing and spitting insults at the other for missing. Taryn was vibrating in rage beneath me. She was fighting the urge to relinquish control back to her bestial side to defend herself from the threat. I yelped at her, trying to get her to focus.

A moment later, Taryn stared at me, control evident. I barked at her, instructing her that we had to _run_. She eyed my wounded leg for a moment before her eyes returned to me. I nodded that I'd be able to run and without a second thought Taryn and I were sprinting through the snow (I was limping from the wound in my leg), trying to put as much distance between myself and the Silver Hands.

_They were watching us—watching me. I'm the one they want. I'm the Savage of Skyrim. _Ignoring the burning sensation in my leg, I pushed myself to go faster. I heard Taryn yelp in surprise when she realized I passed her. My mind was starting to fog with my own adrenaline to escape from the threat. The wolf within me trying to get out—trying to save itself.

I mentally fought for what seemed like ages, considering I was coming up to Wayward Pass, I chanced a glance back and saw that Taryn was keeping pace with me easily. Her eyes were hardened with the determination to get away from the threat, even though we were far from it. Feeling my gaze, Taryn stared at me. Her pace slowed slightly when she saw the turmoil in my eyes; probably confusion, I was sure she was thinking.

It was in that moment I had lost the battle. I was gone.

* * *

**Morndas 14 Last Seed 4E 199 1:06PM**

I sat under the Gildegreen, a smile on my face as I flipped through _Immortal Blood_. It didn't matter where I was sitting. If I found a book that interested me, I sat down and immersed myself so deeply in the novel that everything around me became nothing but an annoying humming noise. I was almost halfway through Taryn's collections of books and I was starting to consider traveling to one of the other Holds to find new books to purchase and read.

I was also reading so I didn't have to deal with Taryn's constant questions about why I basically handed over my sanity to my wolf when we were _miles _away from the Silver Hands. When I had woken up, my leg was sore (silver burns after a while) and Taryn started going off that I was being reckless and stupid with what I'd pulled. Shaking my head, I brought my eyes to the text before me.

_The moons and stars were hidden from sight, making that particular quiet night especially dark. The town guard had to carry torches to make their rounds; but the man who came to call at my chapel carried no light with him. I came to learn that Movarth Piquine could see in the dark almost as well as the light - an excellent talent, considering his interests were exclusively nocturnal._

_One of my acolytes brought him to me, and from the look of him, I at first thought he was in need of healing. He was pale to the point of opalescence with a face that looked like it had once been very handsome before some unspeakable suffering. The dark circles under his eyes bespoke exhaustion, but the eyes themselves were alert, intense, almost insane. _

_He quickly dismissed my notion that he himself was ill, though he did want to discuss a specific disease._

My brow furrowed slightly. I wasn't a stranger to Vampires. I'd killed a few in the wild; they were dry and bitter… kind of like Orcs, but worse.

_"Vampirism," he said, and then paused at my quizzical look. "I was told that you were someone I should seek out for help understanding it." _

_"Who told you that?" I asked with a smile. _

_"Tissina Gray." _

_I immediately remembered her. A brave, beautiful knight who had needed my assistance separating fact from fiction on the subject of the vampire. It had been two years, and I had never heard whether my advice had proved effective. _

_"You've spoken to her? How is her ladyship?" I asked. _

_"Dead," Movarth replied coldly, and then, responding to my shock, he added to perhaps soften the blow. "She said your advice was invaluable, at least for the one vampire. When last I talked to her, she was tracking another. It killed her." _

_"Then the advice I gave her was not enough," I sighed. "Why do you think it would be enough for you?" _

_"I was a teacher once myself, years ago," he said. "Not in a university. A trainer in the Fighters Guild. But I know that if a student doesn't ask the right questions, the teacher cannot be responsible for his failure. I intend to ask you the right questions." _

_And that he did. For hours, he asked questions and I answered what I could, but he never volunteered any information about himself. He never smiled. He only studied me with those intense eyes of his, committing every word I said to memory._

_Finally, I turned the questioning around. "You said you were a trainer at the Fighters Guild. Are you on an assignment for them?" _

_"No," he said curtly, and finally I could detect some weariness in those feverish eyes of his. "I would like to continue this tomorrow night, if I could. I need to get some sleep and absorb this." _

_"You sleep during the day," I smiled. _

_To my surprise, he returned the smile, though it was more of a grimace. "When tracking your prey, you adopt their habits." _

_Ain't that the truth, _I sighed. Closing the book, I tucked it under my arm as I stood up to make my way back inside Jorrvaskr, when an Imperial man with simple clothes, brown hair, brown eyes, and tan skin approached me.

The Imperial eyed me for a moment. "Are you Skadi?" he asked.

I nodded. "That's me."

"I got a letter for you," the Imperial said as he came to a stop in front of me.

"Who's it from?" I asked, taking the letter. _Maybe Balfhe couldn't wait to see me so he wrote a letter._

The Imperial shrugged. "Don't know; said that it was for your eyes only." The courier rifled through his pouch one more time before straightening out his tunic. "Well, that seems to be about it. I'm off!"

"Thanks," I muttered to the Imperial as he ran down the steps.

Shrugging, I returned to my shared room and sat on the edge of my bed. Taryn was busy with training so I didn't expect her to come in any time soon. I placed _Immortal Blood _next to me on my bed while I held the folded piece of parchment in my hands.

Staring at it for a while, I broke the seal that kept it folded and began reading:

_You think you can hide from me? I found you once. I can do it again._

_—Tralen_

My hands began to tremble, my heart thudding so loudly I had bet the Circle could hear it. I remained there, sitting on my bed, frozen in place while my eyes stared at the document.

_Tralen_.


	17. Chapter 16 - Distractions

Chapter Sixteen:

Distractions

**Turdas 14 Hearthfire 4E 199 2:11PM**

Four long weeks passed by in a hurried blur of contracts, private lessons that Elana provided, Taryn's Werewolf lessons, visits with Balfhe, and the training with Farkas and Aela. My gut churned every time I thought about that note. _How could've I been so stupid? _I thought to myself while I walked down the steps to the living quarters of Jorrvaskr. The living quarters was mostly deserted, aside from Torvar sleeping in one of the beds in the communal bedroom (it seemed that there wasn't a day that he didn't have a drink in his hand or he wasn't drunk) and Tilma, who had sat down to enjoy some food that was set out on a plate.

Farkas and Ria were in the Rift taking care of a nuisance animal; Athis and Vilkas were in Haafingar doing something that involved collecting a debt for one of the shopkeepers in Solitude; Skjor and Njada were in Falkreath taking care of a few bandits that had become a problem; Elana was in Dawnstar doing… whatever it was that she did (she was due back that night); and Taryn and Aela were in the plains outside of the city, hunting some deer for Hulda again. That just left Kodlak, Tilma, Torvar (although he didn't really count, seeing as how he's passed out), and I (Vignar was out browsing the market, so he counted as being "out" too).

I walked into my room and sat on the edge of my bed, arms resting on my legs while I stared at the ground. _Maybe I should tell Kodlak, _I thought. _He said that he'd protect me._ Frowning, I reached under my pillow and removed the month-old parchment. The crease in it had become so weak that the paper was on the verge of tearing apart.

_"I found you once. I can do it again."_

I shuddered at the thought of _him _coming to get me. If I remembered _anything _about my past with Tralen, it was that he never gave up until he had what he wanted, or it was as dead as he could make it. Folding the paper in half again, I slid it under my pillow and then reached for Bjorn, who rested at the top of my dresser.

"What should I do…?" I murmured to the old toy. I'd contemplated on running away again, but this time I'd stay away from Whiterun and just keep running. One night I even considered running to Cyrodiil and starting a new life there. People there didn't know me or my face—a perfect place to live. Maybe I could find a way to join the Fighter's Guild. But in the end I decided that I'd stay put and figure this out on my own.

_"Running from your problems won't solve anything..." _The words echoed in my ears like a bad song... like when Elana would (occasionally) sing merrily with the Companions with a mug of ale in her hand.

Sighing again, I replaced Bjorn back onto the dresser and laid down on my bed, my arms covering my eyes while I prayed to whatever Aedra or Daedra was listening so they'd kill Tralen for me. _Fat chance. If I'm a Werewolf then I belong to Hircine, who enjoys watching his hunters squirm... _

* * *

**Turdas 14 Hearthfire 4E 199 4:10PM**

"Skadi, is this a bad time?" Kodlak asked as he entered my shared room. "Gods, Taryn wasn't lying when she said you kept your half of the room clean…"

I slowly sat up, brushing some of my hair away from my face as I did. "What do you need, sir?" I asked promptly. I'd taken a small nap for about an hour, then I had immersed myself in the current lesson that Elana had set up for me. It was challenging at first, but over time my mind started to pick up the patterns and my lessons were going smoothly. I didn't really have a favorite lesson per say, but there were some that I enjoyed more than others.

"Well, perhaps teaching Hiemdall how to keep his room clean would be a start…" Kodlak muttered, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "But that's for another time." I smirked. "Would you mind following me to my room? I have something I want to discuss with you—in private."

Nodding, I got to my feet and waited for the Harbinger to exit first. I followed him out, closing the door behind me as Kodlak glided to his room. When I entered, he gestured to the wooden chair that rested next to the small circular table that had a few candles lit upon it, some food out, and a couple of books stacked on top of each other. It was obviously well-used.

"Take a seat, Skadi," Kodlak offered. Once I was seated, Kodlak walked over and sat across from me. We sat there in utter silence for a few moments; Kodlak's eyes never wavered from my own. "You've come a long way since I found you in Falkreath all those months ago."

"Yes sir," I replied. "I'm happy to have come so far." I moved my eyes to the books.

"Do you regret coming here?" he asked.

I snapped my eyes to him. "Of course not, sir!" I stated. "I-I'm glad I live here!_"_

"That's good." Kodlak smiled. "Now, the reason why I asked you to talk privately with me was so I could talk about two things." His tone became serious. "One, how is Taryn with her control?"

I swallowed. "She's doing a remarkable job, sir. Even with Elana aiding those lessons, Taryn is showing incredible self-control."

"Taryn isn't worried about snapping?"

I shrugged. "I can see the worry lurking in her eyes. But, so far, nothing has happened that would cause me to intervene."

Kodlak stroked his beard again. "That's good." We sat in silence again. "My second reason is—rather, it's a request." I nodded. "I'd like you to accompany me to Dragonsreach in a couple of days. Jarl Balgruuf the Greater needs to speak with me about some matters involving a rebellion and he has expressed an interest in meeting the newest member of the Companions."

I scoffed under my breath. "I've been here for almost five months and the Jarl wants to see me _now_?"

Kodlak shot me a knowing look. "He's been busy with other duties, Skadi."

"Sorry, sir. I just... It's difficult to adjust to living under a Jarl—besides Aela—after so long of living by my own set of rules."

Kodlak had to swallow a laugh about my remark on Aela. "It takes time to adjust to these things. I'm just glad you haven't come back to Whiterun unclothed." I giggled quietly. "I'll come retrieve you when it's time to head to Dragonsreach," Kodlak said as he stood up. I followed his lead and pushed myself away from the chair. "I suggest you wear your armor and bring your sword—that reminds me," Kodlak said. "When will you let Eorlund forge you a Skyforge steel sword?"

"Soon, sir. I promise."

Patting my shoulder, the Harbinger dismissed me. "And Skadi," Kodlak called before I was entirely out the door. "Have Taryn explain to you... court etiquette."

_Court etiquette? _Shrugging mentally, I nodded my agreement and drifted towards my room. Taryn returned a short while later, complaining that Aela never lets her track the animals and throwing a book at my head when I told her that her tracking was about as useful to her as a map is to Elana.

"Did you manage to kill anything?" I asked when Taryn returned from her bath.

"A fox."

A smirk twitched at my lips. "Good for you. They're not easy to kill with a bow and arrow."

Taryn sighed as she walked back to her bed. "I know. You should've been there! Aela thought I was going to transform right there and eat the damned thing!"

I stole a glance over my book. "Were you?"

Taryn shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, I felt the heat in my veins, but... I don't know! I've only been at this for two years!"

"Fair enough," I replied. I set the book on the end table by my bed. "I have a question for you."

"Shoot."

I laughed. "Kodlak has requested that I join him in meeting the Jarl in a couple of days. He asked me to ask you about proper 'court etiquette'."

"Really? That's great if my dad asked that you join him."

I shrugged. "The Jarl wants to meet me, actually."

"Even better! He hasn't met Ria yet though," Taryn muttered. "Then again, you've taken more contracts than she has. Anyway, ready for the crash-course in court etiquette?"

I nodded. "Sure."

Taryn sat in the middle of her bed, legs crossed. "Court life is different from walking the streets of Whiterun. There are rules; more so than the guards shove in your face. When you meet a member of the court (whether it be Jarl Balgruuf the Greater or his Housecarl Irileth), you need to be polite. Don't glare, don't assert your dominance (because, let's face it, I've seen you do it), and don't speak out of turn. Speak only when spoken to. Until you're more recognized and well-known in the court, your opinions are your own and cannot be voiced. If Irileth doesn't have a blade in her hand when you meet her, shake her hand. She shakes firmly, so just give her a squeeze and she'll like you. Balgruuf is to be knelt to, and don't rise until he asks you to. Just follow dad's lead and you'll be fine with that one. Oh, and then there's Proventus Avenicci. Nod at him. He won't move from the Jarl's side (frankly because his nose is so far up the Jarl's arse). You met his daughter before. She runs Warmaiden's, remember?"

I nodded curtly once.

"Anyhow, the Jarl's got three children running around: Frothar, Dagny and Nelkir. They'll stay out of your way when it's official business. Good kids, if a bit spoilt. Lastly, there's Hrongar, Balgruuf's younger brother. He's a warrior of tradition, but don't mention anything about Talos. If I'm right, Balgruuf wants to talk to dad about the rumors about rebellion, and Hrongar's all for the Empire, even though he worships Talos."

"You're father did mention something about a rebellion earlier..." I said absently.

Taryn continued as if I'd never spoken: "When you stand, put your hands behind your back. Make no move for a weapon and just stand attentively. Because you're new, Irileth will have her eyes on you, so make a good impression. Dad's likely to introduce you, so be polite and bow to the Jarl when he does. Then they'll get into talks, and the Jarl will lead my dad up the steps of Dragonsreach to the table upstairs with a map of Skyrim. This usually means that they want to be left alone, but if Irileth follows them then you should as well, but keep your distance of the Jarl and dad. If she doesn't, then you can go talk to the court wizard Farengar Secret-Fire. He's a good guy, if a bit... odd."

I rubbed the back of my neck, trying to take all the information in. "That's… a lot of information," I murmured.

Taryn shrugged. "I'm sure you'll be fine. There're no Khajiit in the Jarl's court, so you'll be okay."

I rolled my eyes. "I haven't made _one _offensive move towards the Khajiit," I pointed out.

"True, true," Taryn grinned. Shaking my head, I reached towards the floor and tossed the book she'd thrown at my head back to her. "Thanks."

"Anytime."

* * *

**Loredas 16 Hearthfire 4E 199 11:50AM**

Kodlak and I ascended the steps to Dragonsreach at a brisk pace. A few guards that were stationed on the platforms regarded Kodlak respectfully while they stiffened at the sight of me. Ignoring them, Kodlak and I strode across the wooden walk way and towards the giant double-doors.

When we entered, I was momentarily left breathless at the mere _size _of Dragonsreach. On either side of me were wooden pillars with intricate designs that traveled partway up the post, only to stop about a quarter (maybe less than that) of the way up. Two guards were stationed at the doors sides, hands on the grip of their swords, shields facing so that you could see the horse head.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Kodlak whispered, making me jump a little bit. "Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you," Kodlak said with a smile.

"I-It's okay, sir."

With that smile still in place, Kodlak led me towards the steps that'd lead to the back of the main hall. A Dunmer woman with ash-colored skin, light brownish-red hair, and blood-red eyes approached the Harbinger and I. _Oh no, _I thought. Dunmer were my second-favorite prey. However, they were only my second-favorite because they'd give me a challenge when I'd hunt them. Nothing like hunting a form of prey that could cloak themselves in fire.

"Hello, Irileth. Doing well?" Kodlak asked the Dunmer as he firmly shook her hand.

"As well as my Jarl, Harbinger," Irileth replied promptly before her blood-red eyes examined me for a moment. "Who's this?"

Kodlak put a hand on my shoulder. "This is Skadi, the newest member of the Companions."

Irileth offered her hand so I took it, shaking it firmly once I remembered Taryn's words. "A pleasure, Skadi." Irileth released my hand to address Kodlak once more. "The Jarl is completing some things. He should be here shortly."

"Thank you." Kodlak smiled.

With her eyes narrowed at me, Irileth led Kodlak and I up the steps to a large dining area. Two long tables adorned with different foods littered the tabletops, and a large fire was in the center for either decoration or warmth. At the back of the large room was a throne that had a rather large skull of some massive creature. Kodlak and I came to a stop just before the steps that'd take one right up to the throne. I absently adjusted my right leather bracer while we were walking up the steps.

My ears picked up the subtle noise of someone walking down the steps. Kodlak must've heard it too because he fell to one knee and gestured for me to follow. When we were both on the ground, I caught the shadow of (who I assumed to be) the Jarl.

"Harbinger, welcome to Dragonsreach!" the Jarl exclaimed, prompting Kodlak to rise.

"My Jarl, I'm answering your summons," Kodlak replied.

The Jarl made a noise in the back of his throat. "Always on time, eh Kodlak?"

"I always know that you are busy, Jarl," Kodlak replied with a smile.

The Jarl must've rested his eyes on me. "Who are you?" the Jarl asked.

I cleared my throat as I rose. "Skadi, my Jarl. I'm the newest member of the Companions." I tucked my arms behind my back. My stance was (hopefully) non-threatening. I noted that Jarl Balgruuf had blonde hair and blue eyes like most Nords, but a slightly leaner build than the Nord men his age.

The Jarl nodded once. "A pleasure to finally meet you." He turned his attention away from me and focused on Kodlak. "We should go upstairs and discuss some matters."

"Of course, my Jarl," Kodlak responded.

Jarl Balgruuf addressed his housecarl. "Irileth, come to me if there are any emergencies. I don't want to be disturbed while speaking with Kodlak."

Irileth nodded promptly. "Of course, my Jarl."

I watched as Kodlak and Jarl Balgruuf ascended the stairs to the upper level of Dragonsreach. When they were gone, Irileth cleared her throat. "Where are you from, Skadi?" Irileth asked in a wary tone.

_Should I say Eastmarch? No. The news of my disappearance might've reached all the way to Markarth. _"Falkreath Hold. I was born in Eastmarch though," I added truthfully. "I moved when I couldn't take the cold anymore."

"Skyrim is always cold..."

I swallowed. "I made trips to Cyrodiil once in a while."

Nodding, Irileth gestured to the main hall. "Feel free to explore the lower level. But I have my eyes on you."

Thanking the housecarl, I found myself wandering towards a room that reeked of different scents. Holding back a gag, I walked into the room to see a man clothed in blue robes, his face almost completely concealed with a blue hood. Subtly sniffing the air again, the strong scent of Magicka assaulted my mind. _A Mage... _A frown almost appeared on my face, because I stopped it when the Mage brought his attention on me.

"Hello. Can I help you?" he asked.

I shook my head. "I'm just looking around." My eyes peeked over his shoulder to see an Alchemy Lab and an Arcane Enchanter.

"What's your name?"

"Skadi," I replied.

The Mage rubbed his chin for a moment. "Ah, you're the new member of the Companions. Well, I'm Farengar Secret-Fire, the court wizard here in Dragonsreach." He offered his hand, so I shook it. "A pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine," I replied. "Although, there is one thing you could help me with..."

Farengar smiled. "What is it?"

I bit my lip for a moment. "Can you teach me a little bit about Alchemy?"

Farengar frowned. "My apologies, but I don't know enough about Alchemy to teach you."

I shrugged. "That's okay, thanks anyway." _Damn._

With a inclination of his head, Farengar dismissed me. I wandered the main hall again, admiring the designs on the wooden posts when I heard someone arguing with Irileth.

"I don't care! I need to see the Jarl! This is important!"

Irileth crossed her arms. "The Jarl gave me specific instructions that he must not be disturbed while he talks with the Harbinger... unless it's an emergency."

"But this is an emergency!" the Imperial argued.

Irileth rolled her eyes. "I do not think the word 'emergency' means the same to you as it does to the Jarl. It can wait, Proventus."

"But—!"

"It. Can. Wait," Irileth growled in clipped tones.

Proventus sighed in defeat and made his way to a seat at one of the long tables in the main hall. He didn't bother to regard me (honestly, I didn't care) as he passed me.

The rest of the time I spent observing the large skull that rested above the throne. "What are you suppose to be...?" I murmured absently.

Irileth must've heard my question because she glided over to where I was standing. "You've never heard of the story how King Olaf One-Eye captured the Dragon Numinex and imprisoned him within the palace?"

"I've heard rumors," I said.

Irileth made a noise in the back of her throat. "Well, those rumors are true by all accounts." Irileth sighed while admiring the large skull. "King Olaf One-Eye was a First Era Nordic Jarl of Whiterun—though he eventually became High King of Skyrim—and famous for imprisoning the dragon Numinex within his palace, which was dubbed Dragonsreach in honor of this feat. Olaf purportedly confronted the dragon with some of his troops on top of Mount Anthor, where he used the Thu'um to aid him in a duel that ended in Numinex's defeat."

I found myself craving more of this story. "Then what happened?" I asked the Dunmer, trying my best to ignore my wolf's pleas to eat the Dark Elf.

"Olaf then moved the Dragon back to Whiterun, where he imprisoned it in his castle. Numinex was said to be imprisoned there until his death." Irileth gestured to the large skull that sat proudly over the Jarl's throne.

"So... this skull is Numinex's?" I asked.

Irileth nodded. "Indeed it is."

* * *

**Loredas 16 Hearthfire 4E 199 1:01PM**

Kodlak and I returned to Jorrvaskr roughly an hour after we left. Taryn greeted us with smiles, but I spotted something in her eyes when she looked at me, something that I found I didn't particularly like. She asked how things went with the meeting and Kodlak told her what he was able to. When he was done with his story, Taryn asked me how I was and I told her that I'd learned quite a few things about the history of King Olaf One-Eye, and why Dragonsreach had achieved its name.

Afterward, I was relaxing on my bed, eyes shut while I tried to ease the knot in my stomach. My armor was replaced on the mannequin in the corner of the room; my sword rested in front of it.

"Whelp," Aela's voice greeted.

Turning my head, I spotted the Companion. "Aela," I regarded plainly as I sat up. "What do you need? Has Kodlak asked that we go on a hunt? Do I need more training?"

"No—this is more of a personal matter."

Frowning, I followed Aela to her room once she beckoned me. It was big, but not as large as mine and Taryn's (probably because my room was meant for two people, unlike Aela's). "Sit," Aela ordered, gesturing to a chair at the same time she closed the door.

"I'm not a dog," I growled.

Aela smirked while she opened a cabinet and began rifling through different jars. "Found it!" she exclaimed. Turning, her silver eyes narrowed at me. "Red is definitely your color."

"Red?"

Aela pulled out a medium-sized jar with a strange red substance inside of it—in fact, there were about eight other jars of different colors. "Close your eyes, whelp."

Closing my eyes like Aela asked me to, I felt her fingers gently brush over my eyelids, and when they left something cold and wet was left behind. "What are you doing...?" I asked.

"Just trust me, whelp."

Frowning, her fingers moved around my eyes and down my cheeks, the same cold and wet feeling was left. It wasn't uncomfortable—just different.

"Lift your head for me," Aela instructed. I did as asked and I felt Aela push aside my hair as her fingers trailed along my neck. _This is _really _awkward..._ "Done," she stated. "Nice scar by the way. Forsworn or Silver Hands?"

Opening my eyes, I blinked twice to clear my vision. "What'd you do?" I asked, bringing my hands up to my face—only to have Aela grab my hands.

"Let the paint dry before you touch it."

"Paint?"

Aela gestured to the mirror in her room. Walking over, I felt my eyes widen when I looked at myself. My eyes were surrounded by red paint, which traveled down my cheeks in thick lines, past my jaw, and narrowed as they came to a stop at two points on my neck. I definitely liked it, but... why did _Aela _give me this?

"I thought you could use a new look," Aela stated in her famous condescending tone. "Once the paint dries, it'll stay on."

"Why give me this?" I asked, still admiring the paint.

"All the skilled warriors and hunters have war paint of _some kind_ on their face," Aela told me.

My eyes widened. "Did you just... _compliment_ me on my hunting?" I asked incredulously.

Aela shrugged and left her room without another word. I grinned. _Well, about time she warmed up to me. She and Proventus would get along well..._


	18. Chapter 17 - Hunting the Hunter

Chapter Seventeen:

Hunting the Hunter

**Tirdas 12 Hearthfire 4E 199 3:33PM**

_Oh no! _I thought frantically as I ransacked my side of the room. _Where is it?!_

I'd returned to my shared room to retrieve the note from Tralen so I could show Kodlak and tell him that Tralen knew where I was living. But that plan was thrown out the door when I moved my pillow to see the space completely void of any paper. I wasn't worried that Kodlak would think I was just saying that I got a letter from Tralen just to get attention; I was worried that he would say: "No more contracts that will take you out of the Hold, and no more visiting Balfhe!"

"What in Oblivion—?!"

I spun around to see Taryn staring at my side of the room with wide, disbelieving eyes. "Taryn!" I said with a slight hitch.

She suddenly threw her hands up in the air as a huge smile splayed across her face. "About time you messed up the room! I'm so proud of you!"

"_Taryn_!" I repeated, firmer this time. "I'm looking for something... Have you seen it?"

Taryn walked in, tentatively stepping over a tunic I had tossed to the floor. "What're you looking for?"

_Do I tell her about the note? _"I got a letter a while ago. It's... missing."

Taryn shrugged. "I _have_ seen it, but not since that day. Can I ask you a question?" I nodded while I tore my bed apart. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I feel fine, Taryn. Healthy as a—well, a Werewolf. Why?"

"You're not nervous or scared of something?"

My hands slowed to a stop. "What're you talking about?"

"Okay, don't be mad, but... I _did _find your note—."

I all but lunged at her. "_Where_. _Is_. _It_?!"

"Woah! Relax!" Taryn calmly walked over to her end table and removed the letter. "What is it about this Tralen guy that scares you so much, Skadi?"

I ripped the letter from her hand and shoved it in my own end table. "It's none of your business." I closed my eyes while memories of watching Tralen morph from a large Redguard male to an even larger Werewolf replayed in my mind. "He's a monster. Just leave it at that," I added when my eyes opened again. "Hircine's prized hunter."

Taryn started to help me clean up my mess. "Oh," Taryn murmured while picking up a few of my tunics and folding them neatly before placing them back into my dresser.

It was eerily silent for a moment before I sat on my bed. "I'm scared of him because I'm afraid he's going to hurt my family again," I admitted. "I'm scared that he's going to find out about my trips to Eastmarch, realize that Balfhe is running around and turn him, okay?" I covered my face with my hands. "I wake up everyday terrified that a courier is going to arrive with a letter for me that says Balfhe's been kidnapped."

Taryn didn't say anything as she sat next to me. "Nothing is going to happen to Balfhe, Skadi. We'll make sure of it—."

"_How_?" I exclaimed. "It's not like I can just abandon my duties as a Companion to become a _pet _for Balfhe."

Taryn frowned. "We can figure something out." She took a breath. "If worst comes to worst, my dad will send the Circle out to kill Tralen—."

I glared at her. "You _can't_ kill Tralen! You have _no idea _what he's like when he's in his Werewolf form! He's... He's... He puts the Savage of Skyrim to shame," I muttered.

Taryn's eyes grew wide. "How do you know about the Savage of Skyrim?"

I snorted. "The Savage of Skyrim is a Werewolf, Taryn. Almost _everyone, _regardless of man or mer, Werewolf or non-Werewolf, knows about the Savage of Skyrim."

"So... how do _you _know about them then?"

I smirked. "I... know them, in a sense."

"Really?"

I nodded. "Yeah." I sighed. "Look, _please _stop going through my things, okay? Going to see Hreir and Hulgar nearly cost you your arm and face. You're lucky that things worked out the way they did though."

"I promise I won't stick my nose into your business anymore. I just worry about you sometimes, is all," Taryn said.

I grinned. "Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself. I did for seven years, after all."

* * *

**Middas 20 Hearthfire 4E 199 5:03AM**

I stretched my back, shoulders, and arms out as I ascended the steps to the main level of Jorrvaskr. Everyone was still asleep—well, everyone that was currently in Jorrvaskr. Aela was near the Skyrim/Cyrodiil border helping some Falkreath guards take care of a bear problem, and Athis was helping some people in Karthwasten with a few problems that involved Frostbite spiders. So, besides those two, everyone was home.

_Speaking of home, I have to pay a visit to Balfhe soon, _I reminded myself. If I didn't get a chance to visit him (which didn't happen _that _often) he'd send a letter expressing his concern if something came up that I couldn't make it to the mill.

With a sigh, I reached the top of the steps, walked forward towards a weapons rack and grabbed my Imperial bow. My steel arrows were already slung over my shoulder. Out of the corner of my eye, the fire that normally burned brightly in the center of the hall was dimmed, the embers from the previous day still smoldering.

Staring out of one of the windows, I could see traces of dawn fast approaching. We'd have to hurry if we were to make it to the outskirts of Rorikstead. One of the citizens, a Nord man by the name of Erik, had sent a courier to the Companions asking for assistance with taking care of the wolves that were stalking the outskirts of the small village.

However, before I went to my shared room for the evening, Kodlak had called me and Njada Stonearm, a fellow Companion that wasn't in the Circle, into his office to tell us that we'd be the ones going to Rorikstead to take care of the wolf problem. I managed to keep a straight face through the whole conversation, Kodlak kept shooting me a glance, a smile in his silver eyes.

Shaking my head to clear the thoughts of the previous night, I turned my head and spotted Njada sitting in her spot on Skjor's bench, a scowl on her face. She wore hide armor, along with hide bracers and boots. A Skyforge steel sword rested against her hip while a quiver full of iron arrows rested on her back. I'd seen her practice her archery skills with Aela once or twice. Njada was good, a respectable archer… She just lacked the patience to hone her skill.

However, with what she lacked in archery she more than made up for in her skills with a blade and a shield. I watched a few times when Farkas would train with Njada. _A__lmost_ every time Njada would be crowned the victor of the match.

_"You should go against her, Skadi," _Farkas had said when he'd spotted me watching them from the back of Jorrvaskr.

As soon as he'd said those words, Njada left with some excuse about helping Eorlund up at the Skyforge.

For some unknown reason, Njada didn't like me—not that I was looking for her friendship in the first place, but it was starting to get on my nerves. Holding in a groan, I strode over to Njada, adjusting my leather armor as I did so. It wasn't as uncomfortable as it was when I wore the armor the first time, but it was still strange.

"Oh, if it isn't the _protégé_," Njada growled when she spotted me walking over to her.

I crossed my arms, biting back a remark. "Nice to see that you're up," I muttered. "Ready to go?"

Njada rolled her eyes as she stood. "I don't know why Kodlak paired me up with _you _of all people, but stay out of my way and we won't have a problem—."

"What's your problem, Njada? I've done nothing to earn your spite and I'm getting sick of your attitude whenever I'm around you. What's the deal?" I asked.

She scoffed, "Seriously? You prance around here all high and mighty because you're friends with Taryn, the Harbinger's daughter. Then you're hanging around with Farkas and Aela all the time—."

I cut her off when I crossed my arms. "Farkas and Aela are training me in swordplay and archery, nothing more." I bristled. "And why can't I be friends with Taryn? Is she off-limits or something?" I uncrossed my arms. "I didn't know that the Harbinger's daughter needed her friends chosen for her."

Njada narrowed her eyes at me. "I don't know why the Circle has accepted you so quickly, _whelp_, but you better not forget your place in these halls. I've been here longer than you, Athis has been here longer than you, and _Ria _has been here longer than you."

"Your point?" I pressed.

"You want my respect? _Earn it_. Don't expect me to hand it over to you—."

I chuckled in the back of my throat. "You think I expect you to like me?"

"Not _like _you. I want to be able to know that the new-blood isn't going to leave me for dead if we run into trouble. So let's just do it this way: we go, we hunt, we come back. Hunting requires quiet, so I guess we won't be talking much as it is," Njada grumbled.

"Fine by me," I muttered as Njada walked away from me.

Walking out of Jorrvaskr, I pulled my leather hood over my face, concealing it in shadow as Njada strode ahead of me, arms crossed and grumbling incoherently. I absently rubbed my eyes, only to stop when I remembered the war paint that was now on my face. Taryn's reaction was priceless when I returned to the room. Thankfully, the war paint was dry so nothing rubbed off on my fingers.

_Oh this is going to be _such _a fun hunt, _I thought sarcastically.

* * *

**Middas 20 Hearthfire 4E 199 8:03AM**

"There is _nothing _out here!" Njada complained.

I rolled my eyes, grateful that my hood concealed most of my face. "If you'd shut up, we'd see more game," I replied, narrowing my eyes as I caught the slightest movement off in the distance. _Elk, _I affirmed. "I thought you said that we wouldn't need to talk while hunting?"

Njada glared at me. "Forgive me, _whelp_, but I'm not a patient woman."

_No kidding, _I thought to her.

We'd arrived in Rorikstead roughly and hour and a half after we departed from Whiterun. Njada rode her horse, a tawny-colored mare she named Mercy, and offered me a ride. I declined, telling her I'd get to Rorikstead on my own. Without a second glance back at me, Njada had rode off towards the Western Watchtower. When she was gone, I paid for an ebony-colored stallion that had a streak of white down his long face. He wasn't old but he wasn't a colt either.

_"Not a horse person, are you lass?" _Skulvar had said when he handed me the reins to the horse.

I'd shaken my head. _"No, sir. I'm not."_

_"Well, are you going to name him? Can't own a horse without naming him now," _Skulvar had stated with a thin smile while he watched the horse eye me with fear.

I'd rubbed my head for a moment, trying to think of a name. _"Ace," _I'd finally answered the stableman.

I caught up with Njada when I was nearing Bloated Man's Grotto. She seemed rather shocked that I was able to catch up with her so quickly, but Mercy wasn't a young horse. From what I figured, she was at least ten years old—eleven at the most.

The village's founder, a Nord man by the name of (surprise!) Rorik, greeted us jovially and commended us for our quick arrival. After introducing ourselves, Rorik invited us into the Frostfruit Inn and explained to us that the wolves and rodents that lived in the plains of Whiterun Hold had been starting to cause trouble with the farmers. They were killing off the chickens, a couple of goats, even a _cow_.

While he explained what was being killed, I started mentally sifting through my own knowledge of animals that were capable of killing chickens, goats, and... _cows_. Mostly skeevers and the occasional wolf—perhaps even a fox if there were chickens turning up dead. Rorik also told us to keep an eye out for a hunter that'd been passing through the area on occasion.

So there I was, stuck sitting on a outcropping of rock with a woman who seemed to be scaring off all of the game in Skyrim!

"Look," I said to Njada, rubbing my head, "if this is boring you to death, go back to Jorrvaskr or to the Frostfruit Inn, all right? I'm sure I can handle myself if I run into any trouble."

Njada scoffed. "And let you get infected with ataxia if a skeever bites you or Rockjoint if a wolf nips you in the ass?"

I rolled my eyes, grateful my hood covered most of my face. Those with Beast Blood were immune to all diseases, and I found that I enjoyed my good health, despite living out in the wild. "Fine, but just _shut-up_."

Huffing, Njada quieted down and began making patterns in the dirt with the tip of her sword. Lowering my hood so I could hear better, I began messing with the bowstring on my bow.

"Okay," Njada said, standing up. "I'm going to go out there and see if I can't find a wolf or something."

I stole a glance at her. "Be my guest. Just let me know if you get bit. I have a few cure disease potions in my satchel back at the inn," I said. Njada had rented two rooms at the inn after we arrived, and I was grateful that her room was the farthest from mine.

Njada nodded curtly and bounded off towards the north. Closing my eyes, I let my senses take over so I could hear _everything _around me. From the soft knickers from Ace and Mercy, to the farmers that had just started their long day of harvesting or planting, I even heard a blood-curdling scream—.

My eyes snapped open the same time I shot to my feet and followed the screams. Skidding to a stop on top of a hill that overlooked the small stream, I saw Njada fighting off a _sabrecat_. _Oh Gods no, _I groaned mentally. My wolf woke up with a vengeance, pacing in my mind, waiting for me to release it on the Nord—Njada—and the sabrecat. _Later! _I promised it. _We can hunt later!_

The sabrecat turned its blood-fueled attention to me, roaring at me. I stole a glance at Njada, who was nursing a nice gash on her arm as she crawled away from the animal. "Over here!" I taunted the predator, waving my arms.

With another roar, it lunged at me, only to hit empty air when I ducked and rolled to the side. Skidding through the dirt, the sabrecat shook its head, confused as to why I wasn't underneath it. "Nice try, furball!" I shouted, forcing the predator to whirl its head in my direction.

Running at me at full-speed, the sabrecat lunged at me, but hit empty air once more. However, not before getting a nice swipe at me, cutting my arm. I didn't even register the wound; it'd be gone in a little over a half-hour. Grunting while it hit the dirt again, I rushed over to Njada's side and used healing Magicka to close up her wound. "Go back to the inn! I don't know if this cat is infected with anything!"

"T-Thanks," Njada panted through painful breaths. She was pale, either from shock or blood loss—both, perhaps? Regardless, she needed to get out of there before she fainted or died from the blood loss and before I transformed. "I guess you won't abandon me after all, _whelp_."

I shook my head. "_Go_!" I hoisted Njada to her feet and pushed her off towards Rorikstead. She stumbled slightly, but otherwise kept going. Hopefully Rorik would be able to help her, or point her to someone who knew how to take care of a possibly infected wound. _I pray to the Nine she remembered that I brought cure disease potions with me on this trip, _I thought to myself.

I was so lost in my thoughts about Njada's health and safety that I didn't even see the sabrecat charging at me. I felt its claws pierce my armor and rake my skin as it pounced on me, its long fangs _inches _from my face as it roared at me triumphantly, having failed twice previously. It brought its jaws down, aiming for my throat, only to wail in pain as an arrow hit it in the rear.

_Thanks, Njada, _I thought gratefully while I tried to get out from under the animal.

My eyes were wide with uncertainty. While I knew Njada was stumbling away from the scene after shooting the beast, I wasn't sure if she was watching me struggle with this cat. _Divines, help me, _I prayed before I felt my teeth sharpening. I didn't fully transform. Sure, I appeared human, but my hands and teeth and eyes would say otherwise. I sank my clawed hands into the sabrecat's sides, dragging my nails downwards so I felt the cat's blood sliding along my hands, causing it to roar in agony at the same time I shot my head up and sank my teeth into its furry neck. Warm blood spurted into my mouth. The wolf woke up and lashed at me.

The warm liquid traveled down my throat and into my stomach, the fire of a transformation threatening to consume my very being. I could feel my muscles expand; my bones were on the verge of snapping and rejoining in a new form. The sabrecat roared as it tried to shake me from its body, but I wasn't moving. I bit down harder, desiring nothing more than to release my wolf and feed on the animal until I was satisfied. _Please! _I pleaded with the wolf. _Don't...!_ I felt it growling as it stopped itself from lashing out at the large cat.

The sabrecat pulled away, wailing in pain when a chunk of its flesh was ripped from its throat. I spit it out, my wolf wanting the whole cat and not just a tiny chunk of fur and fat. With my own wolfish roar, I lunged at the cat and found myself on its back. My clawed hands raked down the cats back, blood leaking from the wounds I kept inflicting on it. The smell and _texture _of the blood was further fueling the bloodlust that began to form in my head.

The sabrecat rose up on its hind legs, trying to shake me, but my hands latched onto its throat the same time I sunk my fangs into the back of the cats neck. Fresh blood ran down my throat and face, as my hands started to tear the animal apart. Only when it collapsed back on the ground, dead and blood pooling around its unmoving form, did I remove myself from the creature.

I stood there, the bloodlust still strong in my mind—temptation so powerful I felt as though fighting the wolf would be a crime.

"Are you okay?!" a voice shouted from behind me.

_Oh no..._


	19. Chapter 18 - The Hunter and The Wolf

Chapter Eighteen:

The Hunter and the Wolf

**Middas 20 Hearthfire 4E 199 9:55AM**

My heart was beating faster than I thought was possible as I heard the person behind me running down the slope towards me and dead sabrecat.

"Are you okay?" the person repeated in a gentler tone.

The panic and fear I was feeling moments ago vanished completely. _What in Oblivion...? _I wondered. There was something about the man's voice that calmed me down.

"I-I'm fine," I murmured, cautious in case I'd allowed my wolf to overtake my vocal cords. "Just a scratch." I squeezed my eyes closed, willing myself to gain control and make my hands, teeth, and eyes appear human again.

"Your friend is back in Rorikstead," the man said. "Jounne Manette, Rorik's friend, is tending to her wounds."

I nodded, feeling my bones and teeth shift back into regular hands and normal teeth. "T-Thanks," I stammered.

I tensed again when I heard the person walking towards me, their footfalls nearly silent as they walked. _This must be the hunter Rorik told Njada and I to look out for, _I assumed.

The hunter came to a stop beside me, a low whistle escaping his lips. "Gods..." the hunter muttered as he crouched down to inspect the sabrecat. "What in Oblivion could've killed this thing in such a manner?" He brushed his hands over the neck, where my claws had started tearing the beast apart.

I gulped. "I-It must've been wounded beforehand, or else I wouldn't have, um, survived."

The hunter stood up, nodding as he did so. "Makes sense."

The hunter turned so we were facing each other. He was a Nord like me, but his skin was slightly darker than my own. He obviously spent a lot of time outside if he was almost as dark as an Imperial.

"I'm Brandr, a close friend to the Jarl in Falkreath," the hunter, Brandr, told me in a friendly tone as he offered his hand.

I shook it, noting how calloused his hands were. _Gods, he must use a bow a lot. _"Skadi," I replied. "I'm a Companion in Whiterun."

Brandr's sea-colored eyes lit up at the mention of the Companions. "Well," he said, "you certainly _are_ a warrior if you can survive a sabrecat attack."

I smirked. "I'm more of a hunter than a warrior."

Brandr released my hand to run it through his collar-length golden-brown hair a few times. He had the typical broad shoulders and stubborn jaw for a Nord, but there were softer features that maybe hinted at an Imperial ancestor. I also noticed that he had a neat stubble forming, and from the looks of things he didn't seem to mind it.

"Well," Brandr said after a moment, "we should go on a hunt together sometime."

I shrugged. "Maybe."

Brandr smiled. "First we should get back to Rorikstead and check up on your friend. Is she a Companion?"

"Mhm," I answered as I started walking back towards Rorikstead.

"Wait!" Brandr called the same time his hand gripped my arm. I hissed at the pain and paled. _I forgot that cat scratched me... _"Your arm!"

I ripped my arm from his firm grasp. "I-It's nothing. It'll be fine." I gulped again. "I'll just drink a few cure disease potions and a healing potion. I'll be as good as new."

Brandr nodded, gesturing for me to continue walking back to Rorikstead. However, as I walked, I stopped abruptly, my eyes lingering on a large paw print. _That's not mine…_

"Is everything okay?" Brandr asked, nearly bumping into me.

I stared at the print for a time before I used my foot to erase it. "Yeah. Everything's fine. Thought I saw something."

Brandr smiled. I felt… _funny _when he did. "Well, you're in the wild! Of course you'll see something!"

I laughed nervously. "What're you hunting, exactly?"

"Mostly wolves, bears, sabrecats… The usual. That's why I'm out here. I had a hunch that the wild game out here would find their way to Rorikstead soon." Brandr rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "But I'm actually tracking a… creature."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What kind?"

_Why am I talking so much? Usually I'm a mute when it comes to strangers—especially hunters!_

"Can you keep a secret?" Brandr asked playfully.

"Of course," I replied.

Brandr lowered his voice. "I'm trying to track an elusive Werewolf."

My blood ran cold. "Oh… Ever seen one?" I asked.

Brandr shook his head. "No, but hopefully I will soon. The Jarl in Riften sent a courier to the Jarl in Falkreath explaining that there was an attack at Shor's Stone."

As soon as he said that name, I remembered having eaten one of the miners. Filling, certainly, but…

"When they found his body, nothing was left but his bloodstained shirt and a torn up leg."

I felt my stomach lurch at the description. I wasn't squeamish around blood and gore, but _hearing _it from another's point of view... yuck!

"Did he have a family?" I asked weakly.

Brandr shook his head. Rorikstead came into view again and I felt relief wash over me at its sight. "No. Well, he was suppose to be married that week. His fiancée was heart-broken when she heard the news." He paused when I began shaking. "Are you okay?" Brandr asked, putting a hand on my shoulder.

_I took the life of a man who was supposed to be married?! _I felt Brandr's breath on my face as he stared at me, his sea-colored eyes wide with worry. His hands were shaking my shoulders.

"Skadi?" Brandr prompted, his voice more of an echo within my mind.

"W-What?" I said, shaking my head.

"Are you okay? Does Jounne need to take a look at you too?" Brandr narrowed his eyes at me. "Silver for eyes?"

I shook my head abruptly. "I'm fine. Really I am. Just a bit exhausted from fighting that sabrecat." I rubbed the back of my neck. "I, um, drank a potion I made earlier, and the silver eyes are the side-effect. I don't mind them in the slightest."

Brandr smiled as we continued to walk. "All the more reason to go back to the inn and rest for a while."

I nodded. "I suppose so." _I'll have to sneak out tonight and hunt— NO! _I couldn't hunt here or anywhere _close _to Rorikstead while Brandr was there. _He's after me—! Well, he's after a Werewolf, but me nonetheless._ "I just want to make sure Njada is okay. I told her I had some cure disease potions in my bag back in my room at the inn, but I don't know if she remembered."

Brandr shrugged in response. The rest of the trip back was silent, actually allowing me to think and observe everything. Brandr walked like a hunter; his steps were light and careful without him even remotely aware of what he was doing. His eyes never remained focused on one thing for very long, and every few minutes he'd roll his shoulders, probably to keep them loose and ready for anything.

About fifteen minutes later we were back in Rorikstead and heading to the Frostfruit Inn.

"Go check on your friend. I'll be out in the plains," Brandr instructed.

"Why?" I asked. "It's not like there's any game out there anymore."

Brandr rubbed the back of his head. "Um… I don't know if you spotted it, but there was a massive paw print I saw and I think it might be a… you know."

_So he saw the prints?_ I swallowed, trying to buy myself some time. "Just… be careful."

Brandr laughed while he shook his head. His golden brown hair swayed back and forth as he shook but fell neatly back into place as if he hadn't even moved when he finished. "I will be."

With a quick farewell, Brandr raced out of the town and into the wild again. I couldn't help myself as I descended the steps from the inn and watched for a while as Brandr vanished into the vastness that was Whiterun Hold.

* * *

**Turdas 21 Hearthfire 4E 199 11:22AM**

_Gods, what's wrong with me? _I wondered while I sat at a table, staring into my tankard of mead. Last night I had the strangest dream yet. Sure, I had some pretty weird ones (and scary ones) but… nothing like _that_.

I had just been walking through the woods, back before Kodlak had found me, and I crossed a hunter that seemed to be tracking a sabrecat. We talked for a time before he removed his cloaked hood to reveal, well, Brandr. After _that_, things just got really messed up.

My eyes moved from the mead to the door that would lead to Njada's room. I'd gone in to check up on her, her wound was healing nicely but she had a fever and a cold sweat. She said it was nothing, but one quick whiff of her blood told me all I needed to know: that sabrecat was infected with Witbane.

Jounne Manette was in her room, using all his knowledge on healing Magicka to cure Njada. _I know a quick way to cure her, _I thought plainly but frowned. I'd never create a Werewolf. The blood in my veins was that of a true savage. I may have gotten my title because of what I did, but the fact is that _Tralen _made me into a savage. That's what he'd always wanted.

But he'd never get me back.

"Skadi?" Jounne said, exiting Njada's room. I brought my eyes up to him. "She's resting now. I'd suggest keeping her here to let the disease run its course, but I think she'd do better if she was in a city that had a alchemist and can provide constant care."

"Is she safe to move?" I asked.

"I'd usually suggest against moving someone in her condition, but it's a matter of life and death."

I pursed my lips. "We both rode horses here."

Rorik entered. I wondered if he'd heard that I'd just said. "What's the problem?"

I stood up. "My shield-sister has come down with Witbane and Jounne suggested taking her back to Whiterun where she can get proper treatment. The problem is that we both rode separate horses."

Rorik rubbed his chin in thought for a moment. "Jounne, do you still have that carriage out back?"

"Of course, sir."

Rorik nodded. "Get the carriage out. We'll hook up their horses and have Skadi return to Whiterun with Njada in the carriage."

Jounne paused. "But sir, someone will have to look over Njada while traveling."

"I can help," Brandr offered, making me jump about two feet in the air. _Why am I so easily scared all of a sudden?!_

Rorik glanced at the young hunter. Honestly, he looked to be about two, maybe three years older than me. "Are you sure the Jarl in Falkreath will be okay with your delayed return?"

"Accidents happen all the time. I'm sure he'll understand when I tell him what happened."

Rorik nodded curtly. "Skadi and I will prepare Njada for the trip back. I want you and Brandr to get the horses hooked up to the carriage," Rorik instructed Jounne.

The Breton nodded. He and Brandr vanished seconds later while Rorik and I tended to Njada. She was hot to the touch, and _I_ was the Werewolf! A cold sweat had appeared on her forehead. Her eyes were also unfocused, and I was sure she was having hallucinations.

"I'll send a letter to the Companions after we have her on the carriage. Erik is a fast runner when he has to be," Rorik told me, gesturing to the Nord in the corner as we half-carried, half-dragged Njada out of the inn. Both of our bags were draped over my shoulders.

"Thank you, Rorik."

He simply smiled. To our relief, Brandr and Jounne had Ace and Mercy hooked up to the carriage with Brandr at the reins. "I'll drive. You look after her," he called while Jounne, Rorik and I lifted Njada onto the carriage.

Jounne had set up a bedroll with a few bottles of cure disease potions placed nearby. "These will last you half the trip. Use them wisely," he instructed me with a stern tone.

"Of course." I bit my lip as I got into the carriage and knelt next to Njada. "Thank-you for helping us. I'll send a letter of her progress when we get back."

Both the Breton and the Nord smiled at me. "That's all we ask."

Ace and Mercy snorted in irritation. "Ready to go?" Brandr asked.

"Go!" I said.

"Hut!" Brandr called, whipping the reins.

The carriage lurched forward as the trip back to Whiterun started. _Gods, I hope they send a courier explaining what happened._

* * *

**Fredas 22 Hearthfire 4E 199 1:44PM**

I sat at the table on the main level of Jorrvaskr, watching Brandr as he spoke with Kodlak by the front doors of the hall. _Why do you find him so interesting, Skadi? _I asked myself. There wasn't anything remarkable about Brandr. He was a Nord, a hunter, a friend to the Jarl in Falkreath. Big deal. But… there _was something_ about him that made him _different_.

Njada was resting in her bed. She didn't look too well. In fact, she looked worse than when she did when we brought her to Whiterun. I'd feared the cure disease potions I brought wouldn't be enough to fight off the infection.

We arrived in Whiterun at dusk. The moons were half-full, but they didn't affect me. Elana, Aela, and Skjor were waiting for us at the stables. As soon as we came to a stop, Skulvar came to aid us, unhooking Mercy and Ace from the carriage while Brandr and I moved Njada from the carriage and onto a gurney used for carrying sick people. We had the other Companions clear out of the communal bedroom while Arcadia began using potion after potion on Njada.

_"By the Nine, this is the worst case of Witbane I've ever seen!" _she'd said. Arcadia had to leave to get more potions after exactly one hour at Njada's side.

Brandr stayed at the Bannered Mare, seeing as how there wasn't room for him at Jorrvaskr. Taryn, however... _that _was a challenge for me. We had both been sleeping, and what seemed like seconds later, I heard her leave. Thinking she needed to go hunt or something, I followed and nearly transformed when I saw her lurking near Njada, a hungry look in her eyes.

_Somehow_ I got her away from Njada, telling her she needed to hold her breath while walking near the communal bedroom until Njada was well again. I was doing my damnedest to ignore the temptation to eat Njada. Seemed like even Taryn's wolf wasn't immune to the lure of easy game.

"So, how's the hunt?" Taryn asked with a playful smile, pulling me from my thoughts and taking a seat next to me.

I shook my head a moment. "Huh?" I asked.

Taryn snickered. "Oh, come _on_!" She nudged my side as I gave her a confused look. "I see how you're looking at Brandr. You like him."

I frowned, _really _confused at that. "I don't understand," I said. I _really_ didn't understand what she was implying.

Taryn gave me an abashed look. "Seriously?! How can you _not_ understand that?!"

I shrugged. "I don't know what you're talking about, Taryn. Really, I don't."

Taryn sighed. "Don't you feel a _little...funny_ when you look at Brandr?"

"I feel... curious, but that's just how I am when I meet new people," I told her. Taryn tapped her foot against the ground. "I mean, I think Brandr's nice... but that's about it."

Taryn couldn't hide her smirk. "It's a start."

Shaking my head, I barely registered that Kodlak and Brandr had stopped talking and parted ways. "Skadi!" Brandr prompted, making me jump slightly. "Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you."

Taryn was laughing as loud as she dared (which was pretty silent).

"It's okay," I said after a moment.

Brandr smiled. That same funny feeling appeared. _Oh, so _that's _what Taryn meant. _"I have to get back to Falkreath and let the Jarl there know everything is fine in Rorikstead." He glanced at Taryn, who appeared to be wolfing down whatever was in sight to stop the laughter.

"Oh..." I said, disappointed.

Brandr chuckled. "I'll probably be back in a few weeks. I'm never in one place for very long as it is. I might make a stop in Eastmarch later. Lots of sabrecats up there lately." My wolf woke up, ears perked and eager for a trip to Eastmarch. I swallowed, forcing it back.

"Well, I'll probably be here," I replied. Taryn's shoulders were shaking in laughter so I elbowed her. Whatever she was eating went down her windpipe and she began violently choking. Brandr shot a glance at Taryn but I moved so I was blocking his view. "She's fine." I smiled.

"Well, I hope Njada recovers swiflty." Brandr sighed.

I nodded. "Have a safe trip home."

Brandr nodded in reply and left Jorrvaskr promptly afterward. When he was gone, Taryn had managed to cough up the piece of chicken so I smacked her across the head. "What in Oblivion is _wrong_ with you?!" I growled.

Taryn gulped down a couple tankards of mead. "Why the heck did you do _that_?! You could've killed me!"

I growled lowly. "Do you _want _me to kill you?" I threatened.

"What's going on here?" Aela asked, glaring at us. "I heard Taryn choking. It sounded like Hiemdall when he laughs as wolf."

"Skadi has a crush," Taryn replied calmly.

"Do not!" I snapped. "I don't even know what a crush is!"

Aela smiled at me. I felt a shiver of fear run down my spine. Aela _never _smiled at me. _Ever_.

"If I may be so bold? He suits you." Aela turned around and left after that. Taryn fell backwards and hit the floor, laughing as hard as she dared.

"Oh _Talos_!" Taryn gasped between her laughter.

I buried my face into my hands. I was confused. Thoroughly confused. _I need to visit Balfhe soon, _I thought as I recalled my last visit. When Balfhe had given me the first tour, everything came back to me instantly. Gilfre, the owner of the mill, had seen Balfhe walking around and spotted me. She nearly had a heart-attack when I told her who I was.

At first, she was stunned that I was back and alive. Then she went off on how much I'd grown up and how much I looked like Hreir. She kept trying to ask what happened and where I'd been, but I'd evaded the more personal questions and told her that I'd escaped to Falkreath.

"W-Where're you going?!" Taryn called as I descended the steps to the living quarters.

"Out!" I called back.

"Wrong way, Skadi!"

I rolled my eyes at the Imperial. "I'm just grabbing some stuff first!"

It was going to be a long night...


	20. Chapter 19 - Mixwater Mill

Chapter Nineteen:

Mixwater Mill

**Loredas 30 Hearthfire 4E 199 10:31AM**

With my satchel held precariously in my maw, I made my way through the dense undergrowth that surrounded Balfhe's home. I'd sent a courier to the home a few days ago, letting Balfhe know that I'd be coming soon. I left a note for Taryn on my bed to tell her where I was going, despite her already knowing. I _always_ made the trip to Mixwater Mill the first weekend of the month and the last weekend of the month.

I glanced up at a small ledge of rock before I tensed my muscles and leapt up. A few small pebbles fell off where my claws had landed, but other than that, the ledge remained firm. Grinning mentally, I continued walking through the forest, enjoying the sounds and sights around me.

I lowered my head to the ground and released my satchel from my mouth when I spotted the small lake near the mill. My fur wasn't dirty, but I _felt _dirty. Taking a moment to look around and sniff the air to make sure I was truly alone, I submerged myself in the water, nearly letting a wolfish moan escape through my teeth. The water was freezing, sure. But I'd sprinted most of the way, making my muscles and paws burn with renewed energy.

A while later, I trudged out of the water, shook myself dry and picked my satchel up again, continuing the trek to the house. When the greenery covered me entirely, I felt better. No need for Hulgar to spot me and think that I was going to attack anyone (not that a Werewolf holding a pack in her mouth is threatening...), or have Mendre see me and try to _pet _me… _again_.

It was my last visit to Balfhe when Mendre had expressed interest in seeing what happens when I transform. I bluntly told him that I'd rather eat Hulgar and a Vampire than let him see me transform, but that didn't deter him, even when I said that I might not even be "myself" after the transformation.

So, grudgingly, I led him to a private clearing that offered the most cover and told him to stay over by a tree. Following my instructions, Mendre had stood next to the tree, only to have his face turn red when he realized I was taking my clothes off and putting them in the satchel I'd brought with me.

_"You think my clothes just 'pop' in and out of existence?" _I'd asked with an amused tone.

Mendre had swallowed nervously, his eyes wisely averted. _"Kind of," _he'd admitted. _"The Skadi I remember would be screaming at me to get away while she changed."_

I'd snorted. _"_That _Skadi is long gone." _I'd crossed my arms over my chest. _"Look, if you want to see the process, you have to swallow your pride and _look _at me. It's hard enough transforming back into my own body at will, all right?"_

Mendre had nodded.

After the process was done, I'd panted for a few seconds, trying to fight the urge to run and hunt. Mendre's eyes were as big as plates when I'd finished transforming. I knew I was larger than the average Werewolf, I think it had something to do with Tralen's blood—_he _was a freaking _beast_ in his Beast Form. I didn't pay Mendre any mind while I picked up my bag, only to freeze when I felt something stroking the fur on my head.

_"Wow," _Mendre had said with a glint in his eyes. _"Soft—."_

I'd whirled on him and growled menacingly, scaring him into backing away. _Never pet a Werewolf unless you wanted to get bit, _I'd thought to him. Werewolves weren't domesticated dogs; we were man-eaters, and Mendre was a man (sort of).

Shaking my head, I came to an abrupt stop when I spotted Hreir near the edge of the forest, her eyes narrowed in concentration. _Why is she just staring into the woods? _I wondered while I stood there for a moment longer, my tail stirring up the snow behind me. Peering at her, I spotted something in her arms; something white and black.

Huffing, I glanced around the area and realized that Balfhe was either inside or he was with Mendre at the mill again. I trotted along the line of the brush, only to emerge a few yards away from where Hreir stood. I glanced down and spotted a stick, so I stepped on it intentionally to get Hreir's attention.

"Oh my—!" Hreir exclaimed when she turned to find the source of the noise.

I sat on my haunches, head tilted slightly at her reaction. She knew I was harmless (most of the time), but her reaction was no less funny than it was the first time around. I set my satchel on the ground in front of me, my eyes holding a greeting that was (hopefully) polite.

"S-Skadi?" Hreir stammered while she stared at me. Her blue eyes were wide with disbelief and fear. _She scares easily enough, _I thought while I continued to watch the Nord. Eventually though, I nodded to answer her question. "Bless the Divines, you scared me!"

I bared my teeth (in all fairness, I _was _smiling at her), making her jump back at the sight. Shaking my head, I picked up my satchel again and with my paw, I gestured to the woods, telling Hreir that I'd be back in a bit.

"W-Wait!" she said. I stopped to watch her. "I brought some clean clothes out, if you want them." Confused, I set my bag down and walked over, not caring that Hreir's heart rate was increasing at an unhealthy rate. I sniffed the clothes once before sitting back down. Hreir seemed at a loss for words at the display I was showing her, but she managed to put the clothes on the ground so I could pick them up.

I didn't.

I grabbed my bag and walked back into the woods to begin the transformation back into my own body. Grunting while the last of the transformation finished, I rubbed my head. _This can't be good for me, _I thought while securing my breast band to my torso. Slinging my bag over my shoulder, I erased my Werewolf prints as I retraced my steps back to the home, where Hreir was standing near the home, the clothes I refused in her arms.

"Balfhe should be home soon," Hreir said while I rubbed my eyes. "Do you need anything?"

I glanced at her. "No." Hreir nodded, retreating to the safety of the home. When the door was firmly shut behind her, I turned my head. "Thank-you for bringing Bjorn," I muttered to the closed door.

_/-\_

"Skadi!" Balfhe exclaimed when he spotted me sitting on the steps. I'd been sitting outside for the past hour-and-a-half. Hreir had come out to offer me something warm to eat (smoked venison and vegetables, oddly enough) and I had (regrettably) refused.

Smiling, I stood up the same time Balfhe ran at me and wrapped his arms around my waist, burying his face into my stomach. "Hi, Balfhe," I greeted, gently hugging him back. I shot a murderous glance at Hulgar while I did so. Hreir _tried _to keep us separated, but Hulgar's stupid Nordic pride got in the way and he _never _let Balfhe out his sight when he was with me.

"What do you want to do today?!" Balfhe exclaimed while he kept his grin in place. When I had first come with the war-paint on, Balfhe was a bit confused at first, but after exactly five seconds he didn't care and demanded that he ride on my shoulders.

I knelt on the ground so I was on his level, my mouth open to suggest a walk in the woods, when I heard his stomach snarling. "How about you go get something to eat? I'm sure your mother has lunch ready for you."

Balfhe smiled and clasped my hand in his. "Come eat with me!"

I swallowed, glancing back at the house. "T-That's okay Balfhe. I'll wait out here."

"Don't move from that spot," Balfhe declared.

I sat cross-legged, arms crossed while I smiled at him. "I won't move."

Pleased with himself, Balfhe hurried inside—only to return moments later with a plate filled with food. "My mom said that this is for you." He set the plate on the ground in front of me. "Don't move from your spot," he reminded with a (adorable) stern look.

"I'm not moving," I assured him.

Balfhe rushed back into the house, closing the door behind him tightly. I picked up the fork and pushed the venison around, mixing it with the vegetables. Spearing a chunk of the meat with my fork, I ate it, chewing slowly as I savored the perfect blend of the smoke and juice from the meat. I took another bite, eyeing the rather large portion before I realized that Hreir had made this for _me_.

Resting on my back, staring up at the blue sky, a piece of wild grass between my teeth and my hands behind my head as I let my thoughts drift from one thing to the next, I couldn't help but feel completely _relaxed_. It was like coming here was a vacation from the terror that awaited me back in Whiterun. Of course, there was the constant danger that Tralen was watching me, but I tried my best not to think about it.

Balfhe was still inside either eating his vegetables (I didn't really touch mine seeing as how my diet was centered around meat and not plants) or helping Hreir clean up the mess that was made with lunch. I'd set my plate inside on a table near the door. I didn't dare let my eyes wander around the home. I didn't want to be reminded.

"Got you!" Balfhe exclaimed the same time I gasped as he landed squarely on my stomach. He squirmed so his tiny hands were pinning my arms to my sides. "I win!"

I laughed and remained on my back. "You win! You win, O mighty hunter!" I chuckled.

Balfhe moved so he was sitting in front of me, his hands making patterns in the ground. "Can I show you something?" Balfhe asked.

I sat up, brushing my back off as best as I could. "Sure, what do you have to show me today?"

Balfhe stood up, waiting for me to follow and when I was standing, he darted off into the woods at the _exact _same time Hulgar came out. I didn't bother to look at Hulgar as I chased after Balfhe to make sure he didn't get into trouble.

"Gah!" I exclaimed as I nearly rammed into the boy. "Balfhe, don't run off like that!" I said, trying to calm my heart down.

"Sorry, but I found this really neat paw print and when I showed Mendre, he said that the next time you come, I should show you!" He pointed to the print and my eyes widened. _My prints... _I instinctively clenched my hands at my sides.

"We should go back. That... _animal_ looks huge if its leaving prints _that _big," I muttered.

Balfhe nodded, giving me "the look". "Please?" he asked in a baby voice.

Growling under my breath, I lifted Balfhe up and over my head and placed Balfhe on my shoulders.

* * *

**Loredas 30 Hearthfire 4E 199 6:04PM**

I slung my bag over my shoulders. It was already dinner time and my stomach had started to growl. Hreir suggested that I stay for dinner, but I refused again. I only came to spend time with Balfhe (and Mendre when Balfhe was with him). Elana would worry if I didn't come back before midnight.

"You have to go already?" Balfhe pouted while he watched me get ready to go from the steps, a fur blanket tightly wrapped around him. "You just got here!"

I laughed. "Sorry Balfhe," I apologized, "but the Companions need me back at Jorrvaskr."

"Can I come with you?" he asked.

I shook my head. "No, you're needed here. You have to keep an eye on Mendre after all."

Balfhe smiled at that. "Wait! Before you go... I want to give you something."

"O-kay?"

Balfhe rushed back into the house and returned moments later, clasping something tightly in his hands. "Here, I want you to have this." He showed me what was in his hands. I felt my eyes widen. It was a gold pendant and not cheap by any means, with a garnet in the center.

I cupped my hands together as Balfhe dropped it so I could catch it. The necklace didn't weigh anything, but it felt heavy as it rested in my hands. "Balfhe..." I murmured, my eyes glancing to the boy.

"My mom and I went to Windhelm to get some supplies when I saw this in a stand. I wanted to get you the silver one, but my mom said that you might like gold instead."

I glanced over Balfhe's shoulder to see Hreir smiling at the two of us. _Thank you, _I thought to her. "Balfhe, I can't accept this. This is yours—."

He pushed my fingers over the necklace. "I got it for you." He smiled. "Put it on!"

"I'll put it on when I get home, okay?"

Balfhe hugged me tightly before releasing me. "I had a fun time today," he said as he pulled away.

"I had fun too," I replied. "I need to get going, okay?"

Balfhe nodded and waved while I walked away. I waved back until I entered the woods, then I started to undress, wrapping the pendant in my tunic before putting the jewelery in my bag. When the transformation was done, I picked up the bag and ran south, towards home.

* * *

**Loredas 30 Hearthfire 4E 199 9:02PM**

"You're early," Taryn said when I walked into our room. "I wasn't expecting you back yet. Did you eat on the way home?" Taryn glanced at my feet. "I see you didn't bother to put your boots on... not that I'm complaining."

"No, I didn't hunt," I said, dragging my bare feet over to my bed. "I'll grab something to eat in a bit." I set my bag on the bed. "How's Njada?" I asked.

It had been nearly eleven days since our rather hasty return to Whiterun, but Njada had become infected with Witbane after spending two days at Jorrvaskr sleeping. Brandr had to leave two days after Njada returned to Whiterun, explaining that he needed to let Rorik know what was going on. I felt... _funny _when he had left. Like I was upset or something.

"She's awake. Dad's had the Circle look after her... for obvious reasons," Taryn said. "What're you looking for?"

I started going through my bag, only to frown when there was a set of clothes in there that I didn't put in the bag. _Hreir, _I thought with a grim look. "I'm glad she's awake. I'll have to pay her a visit," I responded, hoping I'd hidden my anger that Hreir had gone through my things.

"She trusts you, you know."

I smirked. "She's my shield-sister. I'm not going to leave her for dead." I unfastened the two clips that held the necklace together and fastened it around my neck. When I heard the clips connect again, I let the pendant rest comfortably against my shirt. "What'd you have for dinner?" I asked, hoping to change the subject.

"Elk and some vegetables."

I wrinkled my nose. "I had venison and vegetables for lunch."

"_You _ate lunch with Hreir and Hulgar? Does my dad need to do damage control?!" Taryn exclaimed.

"NO!" I snapped at her, a playful smile on her face. "Balfhe brought the food out to me. I ate outside."

Taryn nodded but stopped when her eyes rested on the necklace. "Where'd you get _that_?"

I glanced down. "Balfhe. He went to Windhelm with Hreir the other day and got this for me. He originally wanted to get the silver one but... Hreir thought it best if he got me gold instead."

Taryn smirked. "So, you still hate the woman?"

"With every fiber of my being."

Taryn sighed. "Gods, you're stubborn!" Taryn looked at me. "Hreir _made you lunch_, Skadi. Not just any lunch, _your favorite meal_! Come on, she's _trying_! That's more than what Hulgar can say."

I shrugged. "Whatever," I muttered as I set my clothes in a basket. "Do you think I can see the court wizard sometime? I want to enchant this thing." I pointed to my necklace.

"Why?"

I grinned. "Well, I don't want this thing to snap when I transform._"_

Taryn laughed. "I don't think Farengar will enchant this thing if you say, 'Yeah I need this enchanted because I'm a Werewolf and I don't want this to snap'."

I rolled my eyes. "I'd _lie _Taryn. Sheesh."

"Yes, because you're _really _good at lying," she said.

I caught the underlying tone that clued me into the fact that something happened while I was gone. "What'd you do?" _By the Nine, I was gone for _one day_!_

Taryn sheepishly opened her dresser and removed a sword that looked as though she'd fed it to a _dragon_! "Isn't that Skjor's sword?" I asked.

"Uh... yeah..."

"What'd you do to it?!"

Taryn put her hands up in a poor defense. "Skjor asked me to take it up to Eorlund so Eorlund could sharpen it, but Eorlund wasn't around so I thought I'd take a crack at sharpening the sword."

"More than a _crack_, obviously! It looks like you fed it to a _dragon_ then the dragon heaved it up and then a _giant _stomped on it! Skjor's going to kill you! Literally!"

Taryn glared at me. "Screaming isn't going to fix this! Can you buy me some time while I take this to Adrianne at Warmaiden's?"

I glared at her. "Skjor's going to realize that you gave him a steel sword and not a Skyforge steel sword!" I huffed. "Want my opinion? Start running for Anvil and pray to Talos that Skjor doesn't find you. _Ever_."

While Taryn was freaking out, I couldn't help the smile that appeared on my face.

_Gods, is it good to be home..._


	21. Chapter 20 - Hircine's Message

Chapter Twenty:

Hircine's Message

**Morndas 2 Frostfall 4E 199 12:14AM**

I came to a stop along the banks of the River Hjaal, swinging my head to look up and downstream to make certain I was truly alone. It wouldn't be the first time that a stray bandit, hunter, or traveler stumbled upon me—not that I minded when that happened.

I sat back on my haunches, my eyes watching the stars and auroras as they draped across the night sky. Secunda was half-full while Masser was just a sliver of light in the sky. Still, it was a remarkable sight. _What I wouldn't do to see Skyrim from the top of the Throat of the World, _I thought while moving my gaze from the sky to the large black shape that sat in the center of Skyrim, its peak draped in a thick layer of clouds.

I huffed, watching as my breath became visible for only a few seconds before vanishing into the night. I was alone on this hunt. Taryn expressed interest in coming with me, but I told her that I just needed to get out and _run _for a bit. She seemed a little disappointed, but I had to tell her that I'd be traveling close to human settlements and that was enough for her to pass on the hunt.

I returned my gaze to the dark waters before me. My gold eyes were the only things reflecting back at me. After a few seconds of staring at my reflection, I lowered my muzzle to the cold water and started lapping up the cool liquid.

_Sweet relief, _I thought while I drank more. It felt good being out there alone. It reminded me of the days before Kodlak found me. I missed those days sometimes, but I wouldn't return to them anytime soon.

I pulled my muzzle away from the river, licking my chops to catch any stray water droplets. I had a long way back to Whiterun, and even then I wasn't likely to make it back to the city before I crashed. My hunt was satisfactory, but not entirely satisfying. There were mostly rabbits, foxes… small game. Yes, I was full from the hunt, but I could still feel my wolf wanting a bear or a sabrecat.

_That fisherman down at the cabin might be in Morthal tonight, _I thought while trotting along the bank, mud clinging to my paws and fur. I met the fisherman once or twice while I'd lived out there. A nice man, if a bit odd when one first met him. He lived in an old cabin, big enough for one person but too small for a Werewolf. _But_ he _always_ had fire going, even when he wasn't around.

_Splash!_ My ears perked up at the noise. _Mudcrab? _I wondered, flicking my ears back and forth a couple of times. It wouldn't have surprised me if I crossed one. Those damned things blended in to the landscape so easily!

I stood there for a moment, waiting for the noise again. When none came, I shrugged and continued along the riverbank, heading for the cabin. And then I heard the water splashing behind me _again_. But that time, there was a low growl to go along with it.

Out of the dark shadows was a large, gangly Werewolf. I narrowed my eyes, pissed that this wolf intruded on my land. Instead of immediately showing dominance, I decided to sit down, watching the new wolf closely.

The Werewolf circled me, its teeth bared at me as a snarl vibrated from its throat. I snarled at it; a warning that I wasn't in the mood and that I would kill them if they didn't back down now. The Werewolf didn't listen as it opened its maw to release a loud, vicious roar. Usually that'd scare others into running, but it just irritated me.

While it walked around me, sizing me up as prey, I couldn't help but notice how big its paws were for its body. _It's just a pup, _I concluded. A "pup" to me was a newly-turned Werewolf that had paws that were too big for its body, and that its movements were too predictable. For those that didn't understand Werewolf terms, it was an easy kill.

I remained where I was, not wanting to reveal how large I truly was. Sitting down, I appeared to be about the average-sized Werewolf. But in reality I was probably two or three feet larger than the regular Werewolf—I mean, I was bigger than Vilkas when he was in his wolf form (but not by much)! _This pup must've come from Brood Cavern, _I assumed. _Either that or Robber's Gorge, or Orothiem._

The Werewolf raised itself on its hind legs, roaring at me as loud as it could. I barked in response, another warning for the Werewolf to back down at get away from me. But again, it didn't listen. It lunged for me. I jumped to the side, forcing the pup to skid through the earth a few feet. This time, _I _was the one circling it, allowing this pup to see what they'd gotten themselves into. I could see the fear appearing in its eyes. If the pup had run off when I'd warned it to, then I would have let it run away with its tail tucked between its legs.

However, that wasn't the case.

To make my point clear, that I not only owned this territory for the night and that I was the alpha between the two of us, I rose on my hind legs, my ears flat against my skull as a fear-inducing roar ripped from my throat. The Werewolf scurried back at the sight of me like Taryn had, before I started helping her. This Werewolf's inner wolf knew that it couldn't win if it fought against me. I was too big, too experienced… too _savage _for it to even have a chance of winning.

But still, the Werewolf lunged at me.

Before they could make contact, I swung my hand for its face and I heard the Werewolf yelp in pain and surprise. It also didn't think about my reflexes. _It probably didn't think about my speed either, _I thought while the Werewolf recovered. I could normally resist the urge to chase and kill other creatures, but if this Werewolf ran, I'd follow. If this Werewolf ran, I'd kill them. I barked harshly at it, ordering it to leave this place. Again, it didn't listen.

And I didn't react fast enough that time. I snarled in pain as I felt claws rake along my left bicep, blood seeping from the gashes and matting my fur. My eyes turned to the Werewolf, who was pacing, waiting for me to either retaliate or lay down and surrender.

Needless to say, the Werewolf wasn't expecting me to lunge at it and take a nice chunk of flesh out from its leg. I spat the fur and flesh to the ground, not bothering to clean my muzzle. Saliva began dripping from my maw as the blood-lust began to appear in my mind. I'd killed and eaten a Werewolf before. We didn't taste bad per say, but there was a toughness I didn't enjoy.

I lunged again, raking my claws along its side, cutting deeper gashes than what was on my arm. I'd weaken this prey before I finished it off.

We wrestled in the dirt for a bit, rolling into the River Hjaal once or twice so we were drenched in mud and water. The Werewolf swiped at my stomach. The gashes were shallow, but no less painful. I shot my head up and clamped my jaw around the Werewolf's arm, biting until I hit bone, then I started shaking my head, tearing the muscles, ligaments and joint apart as if I was snapping a twig with my paw.

I heard the sickening sound of something being torn away, followed by a blood-curdling howl. I got to my paws, stalking the wounded prey. This Werewolf couldn't run now. Its blood dripped from my muzzle as I barked at the heavily wounded Werewolf again. This time, it tried to run, only to stumble and howl in agony as it landed on the limb that was missing. It flipped itself over so its belly was exposed to me—a plea of surrender.

I snarled at the wolf as it approached it. _I'm the Savage of Skyrim! I'm the Alpha! _I roared at it. The wolf whimpered, shaking from either blood-loss or from fear—maybe both, but I didn't care. I rose up on my hind legs one more time before I curled my lips over my teeth, blood dripping from my maw and onto the Werewolf's face. It knew it was going to die. _These are _my _hunting grounds! _I roared again as my maw parted, aiming for the throat.

My jaw clamped down on the Werewolf's throat, blood spurting into my mouth as I ravaged the throat until there was a thin bit of flesh keeping the head connected to the body. Out of habit, I licked my chops clean of the blood, only to nearly retch the contents of my stomach up. That blood… there was only _one _type of Werewolf to have that type of blood.

Tralen had created that pack after all.

* * *

**Morndas 2 Frostfall 4E 199 2:12PM**

"Ow!" I growled as Elana tightened a bandaged around my right bicep.

She shot me a glare while Taryn walked in with an arm full of healing potions. I'd returned to Jorrvaskr at around ten in the morning, poorly bandaged, bloodied, and severely tired. I pushed myself to make it to the secret passage (Elana had kept the ladder there when I went out) and I literally stumbled into mine and Taryn's room, collapsing onto the cold stone floor and covered in blood (some of my wounds were still leaking blood at that point).

Taryn woke up instantly and grabbed her mom and dad, and they reacted quickly. Kodlak helped me get to my bed while Elana and Taryn had gone to get some potions. I think I downed six stamina potions before I was wide awake again.

When I had finally managed to heal myself enough to stop the bleeding on my stomach (it wouldn't scar, thankfully), Elana began bandaging my wounds.

"Drink," Taryn muttered, shoving an opened healing potion in my face.

I took it and downed the liquid in one fell gulp, only to choke and make a noise in the back of my throat. "What was in there?!"

Elana finished up with my leg before pushing me down on my bed, covering me up gently. "A bit of Wolfsbane Elixir," Elana said gently brushing some hair out of my face.

My eyes suddenly felt heavy, my limbs numb as the elixir started to make its way through my body—through my mind and numb the wolf entirely. Eventually, I lost the battle with my eyes, as I felt my eyelids closing slowly. Elana and Taryn became blurry and out of focus, but before consciousness left me entirely, I managed to mumble, "Tralen has a pack…"

That's when the void took over.

* * *

**Date: ? Time: ?**

My eyes fluttered open to a dense forest. Nothing like Skyrim—something better. The sky was a perfect mix of twilight and dusk. I could see, hear, and smell everything... Even the whimpering of a young boy. Frowning, I stood up, aware that I was completely naked, and walked towards the noise. Half of me feared that it was Balfhe and he was hurt. The other half wasn't too sure.

That fear was gone when I spotted a young Imperial boy with dark hair and dark eyes. He didn't appear to notice me. Instead, he was shaking, holding his arm tightly.

"Are you okay?" I asked him, reaching a hand out.

Before my hand made contact, the boy cringed away from me, muttering something that I couldn't make out.

_"Savage..." _an ethereal voice murmured.

I spun around. "Who's there?!" I called out.

The voice didn't return.

"W-Why?" the boy finally murmured.

I whirled around and crouched down so I was eye level with him. I realized that he wasn't wearing any clothing either. "What are you talking about?" I paused. "Where are we?"

The boy's eyes met mine. His were silver. _How is that possible?! He's only fourteen, maybe fifteen years old! _"Why did you kill me?" he asked.

I jumped back, my heart beating erratically. "W-What?!"

The Imperial boy stood up. "T-Tralen promised that he'd cure me if I killed you. I just wanted to go home. My mother and father are worried about me and now I'm gone!"

I started to shake. "No... _NO_!" I screamed. That boy was the Werewolf _I_ _killed_ in Hjaalmarch! The one that tried to…! _Oh, Gods!_

Turning around, I bolted for the one place that I'd feel safe: the woods—no, _Jorrvaskr_!

I didn't know how long I was running for, but my legs began to burn and my lungs ached for respite. I glanced around while I tried to catch my breath. _None _of these woods looked familiar to me.

"_Where am I_?!" I screamed. The birds around me took off, startled by me.

_"You are home," _the same ethereal voice said.

"Home?! No I'm not! This isn't my home!"

I heard a low laugh that sent fear down my spine. _"You, daughter, are home."_

I whirled around to see a lean-built man with a deer skull on his head, his face hidden entirely from view with an odd-looking spear in his right hand. He wore strange armor… Nothing that I'd ever seen before. "Who are you?!" I demanded.

The man simply stared at me as someone else joined him. My eyes widened when they settled on a little girl with bluish-brown eyes, russet-colored hair that stopped just at her shoulders. She was wearing a grey skirt and blue tunic. Her eyes were wide as she stared at me, and I found myself covering my more private areas as fast as I could.

"Stop him," the girl whispered. Her voice… I knew who she was. It was hard _not_ to know who she was. "He's a monster. He sent us here when we were ten years old."

"Sent us—me—_where_?"

_"My Hunting Grounds,"_ the man said, gesturing to the vast expanse of… _Hircine's Hunting Grounds_?!

"Why am I here?! I'm not dead!"

Hircine waved his spear, letting the little girl run off into the woods. _"You are not dead. Merely dreaming, mortal." _Hircine traced my jaw with the tip of his spear. I met his gaze and could see the harsh gold of the wild behind the deer skull imbued into his eyes. _"And it is this way I communicate with my most… prized hunters."_

I jerked my head away, feeling small compared to this Daedric Prince. "What do you want with me?" I asked in a shaky tone.

Hircine took a step forward, lifting my chin once more. _"You are familiar with the one called 'Tralen', are you not?"_

I nodded. "I am."

Hircine held my gaze. I felt my wolf awaken; my eyes were probably gold by then, and my teeth were no doubt sharpening. _"He walks a fine line between 'hunter' and 'murderer'," _Hircine said in that ethereal tone. _"He has crossed that line one-too-many times."_

I gulped. "What do you mean, my Prince?" I paused, shivering. _Did I seriously just say that to Hircine?!_

Hircine twirled his spear and slammed it into the ground. He released his grip on it, and it stood immobile where he left it. Before it, a portal opened to a realm that looked familiar. _"He chose you, an innocent child, to create a pack of savage beasts." _The portal vanished before I saw myself being forced to drink Tralen's blood. _"I had blessed you that night—the night you escaped. I gave you the strength to leave and stay away." _A new portal opened up to a new scene, rather _scenes_.

The first was that Imperial boy, taken from his camp in the middle of the night. The second was a young girl being stolen in a similar fashion to what happened with me, the third, fourth, and fifth scenes were just as horrible as the first and second ones.

_"He is no prized hunter of mine, Savage, for my prized hunters do not steal from me to gain my notice." _Another portal opened to reveal Tralen stealing a ring from the Shrine of Hircine.

"I'm not that person anymore!" I shouted, regretting it instantly as the portal vanished. I expected Hircine to attack me, to rip my wolf from me for speaking against him, but he simply stood there, arms crossed.

_"Which is why I call upon you, Savage, to end Tralen's life and return my ring to my shrine, hidden deep in the forests of Skyrim. In return… I suppose we can work something out."_

I remained there, on the ground, shaking slightly. "I-I can't face him, my Prince. He's too strong for me to take on alone."

It was eerily quiet for a time before Hircine spoke again. _"You are a Lycan; the best of my creations, the strongest of all the were-creatures I could have created. Deep within you is the primal need for a pack. Find one."_

_A pack?_

_"You must first destroy his—."_

"How can I kill innocent _children_? I didn't know with the boy, but why must they be killed?!"

I felt a searing pain appear in the center of my gut. _Oh, Gods! It feels like drinking Tralen's blood all over again!_ _"DO NOT RAISE YOUR VOICE AGAINST ME!" _Hircine roared before making the pain go away.

I slumped to the ground, tears falling down my cheeks and onto the luscious green grass. "Why...?" I whispered in a quiet tone.

_"They are too unpredictable, like their creator. They mustn't walk among you mortals any longer. They'll reveal themselves to you, one by one. You must destroy them. Offer no mercy, nor remorse," _Hircine said in his dark tone.

"Why do you want Tralen dead?"

Hircine paused for a moment, considering his words. _"Tralen was one of the few who were blessed on my Summoning Day." _I tensed. _"I gave him his blood."_

"T-Tralen drank _your _blood?!" I nearly screamed. I had been forced to drink _Hircine's blood?!_

Hircine nodded. _"It is why he is so… large for a Werewolf. It is why he _was _considered my prized hunter… until now."_

Before I could say something more, a searing pain appeared on the back of my neck. I moaned, clasping my hand on the spot. "What was that?" I asked.

_"You have been marked as one of my best hunters… do not disappoint me," _the Huntsman said before vanishing into the forests.

My hand reached to the back of my neck. I could still feel the heat from whatever he marked me with.

* * *

**Middas 4 Frostfall 4E 199 10:17AM**

I woke up gasping for air. _What was that?! _I wondered while running my hands through my hair a few times. That was a weird dream—even weirder than the dream I'd had about Brandr the other week.

"Good," Taryn said. "You're up." She set her book on the table by her bed.

I glanced at her. "Taryn..." I looked around the room—our _room_! I was back home! I wasn't… I wasn't at the Hunting Grounds! It really was just a dream!

"How're you feeling?" Taryn asked.

"Better," I replied. In fact, I felt _great_. I removed my bandages to see that the cuts were healed and gone. "How long was I out?" I asked her.

Taryn shrugged. "A day. I think we gave you too strong a mix of Wolfsbane Elixir. Sorry."

I nodded, my hand touching the warm spot on the back of my neck.

_"You know what needs to be done."_

It wasn't _entirely_ a dream then. It was _real_. Hircine _had_ sent a message to me.

But that meant I had to kill Tralen.


	22. Chapter 21 - Frostfall

Chapter Twenty-One:

Frostfall

**Tirdas 10 Frostfall 4E 199 8:11PM**

"Hurry up!" I called from the bottom of the secret passage that rested in the Underforge. "It's almost twilight!"

"I'm coming! I'm coming!" Taryn called back as she made her way down the tunnel.

I sighed in impatience, then walked to the edge of the wall and poked my head around the corner. All the farms were closed down for the evening, the guards were making their rounds, and a few smaller animals scurried along the ground.

Frostfall. Gods, how I hated that month. All the other months I was fine with, but this one I could live without. Well, actually, there was _one _day of this month that I could live without, but no matter how much I prayed to the Nine and Daedra (out of desperation), the stupid day still came and went as if to say: "Haha!"

I absently clutched the necklace Balfhe had given me, my hands feeling the subtle pulse of magic that Farengar had used to enchant it with.

"_Why do you want it enchanted so it expands?" _he'd asked.

I'd rubbed the back of my head. _"In case a thief tries to take it, so it doesn't snap and I lose it. It's important."_

That seemed to persuade the court wizard, because he enchanted the piece of jewelry for half of what it should've cost.

"Okay," Taryn said, jumping down. She brushed her shoulder off of dirt and broke my train of thought. "I'm here. Let's go."

Grinning, Taryn and I ran through the plains until we reached Graywinter Watch. While I had the freedom to come and go from Jorrvaskr as I pleased, Taryn didn't have that luxury at the moment.

Elana had found out about Skjor's sword when Skjor caught Taryn trying to sneak back into Jorrvaskr, hiding the ruined blade as best she could. In the end, Taryn was grounded for the rest of the month—aside from when a full moon or moons came around. But even then, Kodlak kept a sharp eye on her.

I wasn't exactly out of trouble either. Taryn had thrown me under the wagon and told Elana that I was in on it, but didn't actually do anything to the sword (seeing as how I was with Balfhe when it happened). The only punishment I received was having to clean the bathing area for half a week.

It was torture, but I wisely kept my mouth shut over the matter.

We came to a stop at the entrance to Graywinter Watch, breathing heavily as the cold air stung our lungs. "Gods..." Taryn panted, a smile on her face. "This'll be worth the punishment that's waiting for me back home."

I chuckled. "I'll back you up," I told her with a sincere smile. "The twitching was getting on my nerves."

Taryn smacked me upside the head. "It's not my fault!"

"I know! I know!" I replied, rubbing my head.

Growling under her breath, Taryn and I continued to walk along the road until we spotted Valthiem Towers. "I'm not in the mood to deal with the bandits," I growled. _But I wouldn't mind eating a few of them, _I thought absently.

Taryn sighed. "You're only saying that because you didn't bring any money with you."

I couldn't help but shrug at her response. "If you'd let me, I'd eat those bandits!"

Taryn pursed her lips, similar to how her mother would. "I don't make the rules. Sure, you can eat a bandit if _they _attack you, but not the other way around."

I growled insults under my breath as we walked away from the road and into the trees. I took another step and hissed as a sharp pain shot through my arm. "Ow…" I muttered, rubbing my arm.

"You okay?" Taryn asked, concern dotting her features. "You've been saying that a lot recently."

I nodded, rubbing my arm. "Must be my wolf wanting to come out and hunt."

"Well, you haven't gone out since that night with that Werewolf."

I winced mentally as I recalled the dream/vision that happened. I couldn't admit to Taryn that I killed a _child_. The _one rule _I set for myself when I ran off from Tralen and my parents… _I broke it_. I was too ashamed to admit what I'd done.

"Okay," Taryn said after a bit, "I think there's enough cover."

I glanced at her. "What? I have to transform first?"

Taryn shrugged helplessly. "Well, seeing as how you don't scream bloody murder when you transform… Yeah."

I glowered at her. "You're just scared that your mother will hear you and come after you."

"Damn right."

I chuckled but began removing my trousers and tunic as the transformation began. Taryn held her arms out, eyes averted. "You really need to get over the whole 'clothes' issue you have," I said pointedly.

"I'm just being polite."

I smirked but didn't say anything as I handed her my clothes (the necklace was still in its place around my neck) and fell onto all fours. Clenching my hands into the dirt, I let the transformation take over, although not without grunting painfully at some points, which was... strange.

_Why did that hurt? _I wondered, shaking my body out to loosen my muscles. Blinking a few times, I glanced around to make sure I was still in the same place that I had been in previously. When I assured myself that I was in the same place that I was before, I sat down and waited for Taryn to start her own transformation, but the look on her face confused me.

Tilting my head, I raised my brow. _What? _

"I need to ask a serious question," Taryn said. I sensed fear ebbing from her. _Why is she scared of me? _I wondered. _She shouldn't be._

I nodded to prompt her to ask.

"When was the last time you had a bath? Because your fur's brown, except for your paws. And you have war paint."

_What is she talking about? _I wondered.

"By the way, I'm not letting Aela cook for you again." _What in Oblivion is she talking about?! _"She puts in too many things that cause random growth spurts, apparently."

I barked at her, completely and utterly confused as to what she was talking about.

"Well, look at yourself!"

I stood on my hind legs and looked down at myself. _WHAT IN OBLIVION—?! _

With my eyes wide, I lowered myself back onto all fours and ran to the White River. I looked at my reflection. My fur… It wasn't black any longer. It was the same shade as my normal hair—aside from my paws. Bringing my head closer to the water, I saw a darker shade of brown outlining my eyes, traveling down my face and coming to a stop to two points on my neck.

_What the—?! _I glanced at my front paws to see the previous black I'd been engulfed in flowed smoothly from the russet-brown fur when it reached my paws. _Is this even possible?! I've never heard of Werewolves' fur changing _colors_!_

"_You are my prized hunter," _Hircine's ethereal voice whispered through my mind. _"The best of my chosen."_

I shook my head. _It would've been nice to have a warning! _I thought to the Huntsman. Glancing back down at myself, I realized that I _grew_, if that was even possible! I'd stopped growing when I was sixteen! _That would explain why my joints have been twitching, _I thought as I recalled the few times that I had to stop training or refuse a contract because of the pain I was in.

I heard the bushes rustling behind me and I saw Taryn poke her head out from the brush. She didn't even scream—or maybe she did and I hadn't heard her because I was so focused on my new appearance.

_You okay? _I could see that question clear as day in her eyes while she walked out and sat down. I padded over to her, sitting across from her. Gods, I had to have grown at least four inches! Usually Taryn and I were eye-level while sitting, but I was still a little bigger than her. I was perhaps two inches taller than her while sitting.

She barked.

I nodded to answer her previous question. I gestured with my head towards the west. She nodded in response and we took off, only to have me trip slightly. _What the heck—?! _Glancing down again, I realized that my paws were _slightly _larger and disproportioned from my body. I felt like a pup again.

Taryn stopped when she realized I had. This was too weird for me. But the wolf in the back of my mind was awake and wanted to try out this new "body". It wanted to see what it was capable of now.

Taking a deep breath, I continued running towards the Rift territory, hoping that I could hunt a sabrecat or bear. Something big and dangerous.

* * *

**Loredas 21 Frostfall 4E 199 5:21AM**

"You feeling okay, Skadi?" Tilma asked while I was brooding over my bowl of porridge. I felt her place a hand on my forehead. "Bless the Divines! You're all clammy!"

I didn't answer, instead I opted to twirl my spoon in the food. I was the only person really up at the moment. Aela, Skjor, Farkas and Vilkas, Hiemdall, Kodlak and Elana, Taryn, Vignar and all the non-Werewolf members were still sleeping peacefully.

Usually I'd be sleeping too, but I just… _couldn't_. Luckily, Tilma was an early riser and had a bowl of porridge waiting for me. I barely took two bites of the porridge before my stomach lurched.

_Every Gods-damned year... _I thought bitterly while staring into the bowl. _Every year it's the same thing: get "sick" and writhe in pain for an entire day, along with the occasional vomiting. _I glanced at my hands briefly. _And__ a partial transformation, _I added after a bit.

"You should get some rest, I'll let Elana know—."

"I'm fine!" I snapped at the older woman. I coughed once to catch myself from sounding desperate. "I'm fine," I repeated in a calmer tone.

Tilma sat next to me, a look in her eyes. "Is it your cycle—?"

"No!" I nearly shouted. "I-It's not that!" My face must've as red as a tomato. _Might as well be._

Tilma made a clicking noise with her tongue while she stood up and crossed her arms. "Don't over-exert yourself, Skadi. Understand?"

I nodded, my eyes returning to my food. "Yes, ma'am."

Tilma returned to her daily routine while I stared at the food. My stomach cringed at the idea of _eating__ anything_. Even wild game was unappealing to me. By the Nine, even _water _was unappealing to me!

Shoving the bowl away from me, I lowered my head onto my arms and tried to fall asleep. I'd need all my rest for later.

* * *

**Morndas 23 Frostfall 4E 199 2:11PM**

I sat in the outpost, knees tightly against my chest while I leaned against the cool stone. Everyone else didn't really say anything about my appearance. They probably thought I just came down with the case of the chills—well, all the non-Werewolf Companions thought that. The Circle was worried but didn't voice it. Werewolves _never _got sick. Not even when a Vampire would bite them. That'd just piss them off.

I groaned while leaning against the cool stone. I woke up even earlier that day. Tilma had a smaller bowl of porridge out for me this morning, but I woke up so early that even _she _wasn't up yet.

"Skadi!" Taryn called, poking her head out the back.

"… Over here…" I moaned.

Taryn jogged over to me and took in my appearance. "What's wrong Skadi?!" Taryn put a hand to my forehead. Her wide eyes said what her lips didn't.

"Nothing," I answered. I unconsciously shivered.

"'Nothing'?" Taryn looked around to make sure we were alone. "Werewolves don't get sick, Skadi. You're burning up and you feel clammy. Do you usually feel that way before a transformation?"

I shook my head, my stomach flipping over and over like a mudcrab down a hill.

"When was the last time you had a proper meal?"

"F-Fredas…" I stammered. I knew I looked like I hadn't eaten in a few days—which was because I _didn't_. The mere _thought _of eating sent my stomach in a spin.

Taryn shook me. It took everything in my power to not retch up stomach fluid. "What's wrong with you?! Are you trying to starve yourself?!" She crossed her arms. "Is it from the… change?"

"N-No…" I swallowed, making sure I wasn't going to heave. "I-I just don't feel well right now."

Taryn pursed her lips. "I'm getting my mom and dad."

I grabbed her wrist. "Please…" I said with a strained voice. "Just don't tell them. I'll be fine."

Taryn narrowed her eyes at me as I released her wrist. After watching me, Taryn returned to Jorrvaskr.

* * *

**Tirdas 24 Frostfall 4E 199 7:01AM**

_By the Divines… _I groaned softly as the pain shot through my body, starting from the center of my stomach and spreading out throughout the rest of my body.

I didn't get any sleep last night. No matter what I tried—and I even tried to down a bottle of Wolfsbane Elixir—I couldn't sleep. Taryn was already gone, either doing something in the market with Elana, or out hunting with Aela. _Oh, great, _I thought while I buried myself deeper under the covers. _Taryn should be back soon._

A whimper escaped my throat at the realization that when Taryn came back, I wouldn't be able to hide the pain I was in. _Ten years. Ten _freaking _years! _I realized then that I'd been a Werewolf for the same amount of time that I'd ever was a human. I clenched the sheets tightly as another round of pain racked my body. I squeezed my eyes shut, willing the pain to go away, only to have worse pain take its place.

It was like a nightmare. Every time I shut my eyes, I kept seeing myself hiding in those bushes. And every time I opened them, I was feeling pain all over.

I heard the door to my shared room open and close softly. "Skadi?"

"Huh?" I answered.

Taryn must've set her things down on her bed. "Are you okay? You're usually up by this time."

"H-Healthy as a Werewolf, T-Taryn," I stammered. "Just tired."

"I'm going to go upstairs and train for a bit… you need anything?"

"N-No."

* * *

**Tirdas 24 Frostfall 4E 199 4:19PM**

I screamed.

I couldn't stop the screams as the pain intensified to unbearable levels. Taryn and Elana were in the room with me, doing what they could to ease the pain.

Taryn had come back into the room after a few hours of training at the _exact _same time that I heaved up a bit of stomach fluid. As soon as she saw that, she ran to get her mother. Kodlak was busy with Balgruuf again and wasn't to be disturbed.

"Kill me!" I pleaded. "Take my sword and _kill me_!"

Elana kept stroking my sweaty hair while I endured the excruciating pain. Taryn had been able to make our room sound-proof (she'd stuffed a blanket under the door so no sound left the room) so the non-Werewolf Companions wouldn't come running to see what was wrong and see a partially-transformed Werewolf.

I curled in on myself, my arms wrapped around my abdomen as tears fell freely from my face.

"What in Oblivion is going on?" Taryn asked after a moment.

Elana must've shrugged while patting my shoulder. "I don't know—."

"T-T-Ten y-years..." I gasped.

"What does that—?"

It was eerily quiet, aside from my screams and Elana's constant murmuring.

"What does it mean, Taryn?" Elana prompted her daughter.

Taryn stared at me for a moment before speaking again. "Today is the day Skadi was turned. It's been ten years since that day."

Elana inhaled sharply.

I howled in agony, an actual howl escaped my throat, and I felt the covers slide away enough for my hands and upper body to be exposed to the cold—was it really cold?—air. I peeled my eyes open painfully to see my nails morphing into claws and the joints in my hands changing slightly.

"Get some Wolfsbane—!" Elana ordered.

"I-I-I tried!" I stammered through gritted teeth. "D-Didn't w-w-work!"

"What can we do, then?" Taryn asked.

"Just _kill me_!" I repeated as I felt my ribcage expanding. _Oh Gods… _The tunic that I had on started to tear down the spine. I was pretty sure my breast band was history by this point. Another scream/howl escaped my throat as my ribcage expanded then shrunk back to normal.

"Skadi…" a soothing voice cooed.

Was I so far gone that I couldn't even discern voices anymore? I squeezed my eyes closed as the urge to hunt entered my mind. With a human so close it was pushing me further and further over the edge.

My head shot towards my pillow, my fangs sinking into the soft material as I kept shredding it with my teeth. _I can't hurt this woman! _I thought desperately while hot tears fell down my face in torrents. _I won't be able to live with myself if I do! _I pictured the pillow being a Khajiit; it was the only thing keeping me from lashing out at the woman helping me.

My skin began to tingle as I felt fur pushing up from beneath my skin—.

"Shouldn't her fur be… black?" the woman asked.

I didn't hear the response, but I felt someone pushing my hair from my neck. "What's that mark?!" the other person asked.

_The mark…_ I kept sinking my teeth into the pillow. "I don't know. We need to ask your father when he gets back," the woman said.

My stomach flipped again. I released the pillow from my jaw and spun so I was heaving into the wooden bucket.

"Now I know why she didn't eat anything for the past few days," the other person muttered. "... Was this what I looked like?"

I didn't hear the answer. _Gods, just make this go away! _I thought.

_/-\_

How much time had passed? Seconds, minutes, hours... perhaps even _days_? Either way, the pain didn't leave. I felt as though I was being stabbed repeatedly in the stomach and skull.

"Skadi," a gentle voice called. This wasn't the voice of the two women before. This one was different—softer than the other two. I curled in on myself, my back to whoever was speaking. "It's okay..."

"M-Make it s-s-stop...!" I moaned, clutching my covers with all the strength I had.

The woman began gently rubbing my back. "Remember when you were little? You always liked to push Mendre in the river?"

I dimly recalled the memory of pushing a kid in the river. I gritted my teeth as a new wave of pain washed over my body.

"And you'd told your father and I that you'd become the best hunter in all of Skyrim. Remember?"

_I-I guess that came true... _I thought as a painful, bittersweet smile twitched at my lips.

The woman rubbing my back began stroking my hair. "I also remember your face when you came back." The voice paused. _Please, don't stop talking...! _"I was so happy that you were alive and came home." Again, the voice paused. "Imagine my surprise when Taryn came to tell your father and I about you—about what you've been doing within the Companions. You were helping Skyrim."

I grunted a response. The woman who was stroking my head went back to rubbing my back. "Gods, you're burning up."

"It's the Beast Blood," another woman said quietly.

I screamed as the bones in my legs broke and repaired themselves. My trousers weren't torn, yet. "It'll be okay, Skadi. I'm here and I'm not leaving." I groaned as the person talking wiped a cool cloth over my forehead and down my face. "I don't think you're a monster, Skadi. I never did and I never will." I dry-heaved, my hands shaking violently. "Get her some more water."

"She'll just throw it up," another voice said as they slowly took a bucket from me.

"Not for drinking." Someone left the room and soft hands enveloped my own clawed ones. "It's going to be okay, Skadi. I'm right here."

Almost after that, I was lowered back onto my bed, my covers placed over me as someone started humming a soft, familiar tune.

* * *

**Middas 25 Frostfall 4E 199 6:59AM**

A melodious tune reached my ears the same time that I realized it was over. The pain was (almost) gone, and that awful day had passed just as painfully as I'd predicted. While my body ached and burned with the aftermath of the previous day, my forehead was surprisingly cool and relaxed.

The tune changed pitch and I felt as though sleep would take me again. I _wanted _it to take me again. I moaned softly, turning so that my face was facing the door. "Skadi?"

My eyes snapped open at the voice. _That voice... _I shot up, facing a Nord woman with blue eyes, blonde hair, wearing a blue dress and boots. I also noted the bags under her eyes. _Did she stay up all night?! _

"_W-What're you doing in my room_?!" I screeched. I glanced around the room to see that Taryn was missing. She had likely gotten up early.

Hreir set a cool washcloth in the bowl that must've been brought in. While she did that, I glanced around my bed and realized that mostly _everything _was shredded, along with my tunic and breast band. _Did I fully transform?! _My pillow looked as though a—. _Right. I remember biting it so I didn't bite—._

"Elana!"

"She's okay, Skadi," Hreir said softly. "She and the others are upstairs eating."

I nodded for a moment while Hreir stared at me. "What're _you_ doing here?" I asked.

"Balfhe, Hulgar, and I sent that letter, remember?"

_Skadi,_

_My mom, dad, and I are coming to Whiterun soon to see you! I can't wait to see you and play tag with Braith and Lars again!_

_—Balfhe._

"Why did you come _yesterday _of all days?!" I hissed while holding the remains of my covers over my torso.

Hreir stood and retrieved a grey tunic and a breast band. "Ten years ago yesterday, Skadi," Hreir said quietly. I sat on the bed while Hreir placed the clothes in front of me. "Is it usually that... painful?"

I shook my head. "Not usually. Just... on that day it is."

Hreir nodded and stood while I got out of bed and put the breast band on. I pulled the tunic over my head when that was finished. When I adjusted the tunic, I changed out of my smalls and trousers that I wore last night into new ones. Hreir sat in one of the chairs by the small table while watching me.

"Balfhe does that to Mendre too, you know," Hreir said after a time. "He finds joy in pushing Mendre into the river."

I grunted while I removed my ruined sheets and covers. When they were removed from the bed, I walked out of the room and down the hall to dispose of them and grab new ones. Hreir was still seated in the same place when I returned and continued to watch me while I made my bed.

"I'll be upstairs with Hulgar and Balfhe," she said.

I grunted again, and then paused. "Hreir," I called after a moment. I turned so we were facing each other.

"Y-Yes?" She was obviously shocked that I had said something.

I sighed. "Thank you for being there. I... I-It means a lot to me."

With a smile on her face, Hreir walked towards me and wrapped me in a hug. I remained still as could be, unsure of what I should do, except hunt the—_NO!_

I shoved Hreir away from me as soon as the thought of _eating _her entered my mind. She seemed a little upset by the gesture, but looking at me closely for a moment, she realized I was hungry and not for regular food either.

_Looks like I'll be making a trip to the Valthiem Towers after all, _I thought while Hreir watched me.

I was able to collect my thoughts and finished making my bed, cleaning up the mess I had made during yesterday's... episode. I heard the door close behind me, signalling that Hreir must've gone upstairs to let the others know that I was okay... and likely to be preoccupied for the next few hours.


	23. Chapter 22 - Uthgerd the Broken

Chapter Twenty-Two:

Uthgerd the Broken

**Sundas 29 Frostfall 4E 199 1:47PM**

Vilkas grunted as my iron blade connected with his steel shield. "All right! That's enough!" he said while he wiped some sweat from his brow.

I sheathed my sword. "We just got started!" I retorted while crossing my arms.

Vilkas shook his head, a smile on his face. "I'm not as young as you are, Skadi. Got to remember that."

I rolled my eyes. "Shouldn't matter with your Beast Blood," I replied.

Vilkas sighed. "If you still feel up to swinging your blade, practice on the training dummies we've set up around back wall." Vilkas gestured to the dummies by the battlements, as if I hadn't known where they were, and then he bade me a farewell as he entered Jorrvaskr.

Njada walked out just as he left. A smile twitched at my lips when I spotted her. She'd long since recovered from her wounds and infection, and there was a mutual respect between us. Nothing that'd define us as "friends", but at least she wasn't calling me "Kodlak's protégé" anymore.

"Skadi," Njada greeted plainly.

I nodded. "Njada."

The Nord's eyes narrowed at me for a moment before returning to their normal size. I thought, for a moment, she wanted to ask me something, but she must've thought better of it.

"Is Vilkas done for the day?" she asked after a time.

"I don't know," I answered, adding a shrug for good measure. "Ask him."

Njada scoffed. "Taryn should be back—."

I rolled my eyes at the Companion. "I don't need to know where Taryn is at all times." _Unless we're hunting, then I _need_ to know,_ I added mentally.

Njada removed her sword and admired it for a moment. "Kodlak sent she and Hiemdall on a contract to Dawnstar." She shot me a look. "I thought you'd like to know."

I raised an eyebrow. "Why did Taryn go?" I asked.

Njada used her free hand to adjust her helmet. "Kodlak mentioned something that you told Hiemdall: 'I'm never going on another contract with you'."

I mentally kicked myself. "_Right_…" I adjusted my leather pauldron on my arm again. "Ever go on one with him?"

"Once…" Njada admitted.

"And…?"

Njada chuckled. "He made me do all the dirty work. But back then I was the whelp of the group, so I didn't complain."

I nodded. "Well, I'm going to take a break. Uh…" I rubbed the back of my neck for a moment. "Have fun."

Njada rolled her eyes before she walked over to a training dummy and started hacking at the stationary object. I watched her out of the corner of my eye. I could see why Kodlak chose her to join—Athis, too. I still had to figure out what Ria was capable of, aside from sparring with Aela on occasion.

I had just finished my second helping of venison outside of Jorrvaskr when I heard some commotion out front.

"What do you mean I can't come back?!" I heard someone holler.

Njada stopped hacking at the dummy, glancing at me.

I shrugged. "I don't know."

"Let's find out."

Njada and I strode around the side of Jorrvaskr to see Aela and Skjor standing shoulder-to-shoulder, blocking the front doors while a woman with blonde hair in steel plate armor glared at the two Werewolves.

"Who's that?" I asked Njada.

She groaned quietly. "Uthgerd the Unbroken," Njada replied. "She wanted to join up a scant few months after I came. Kodlak almost let her—until she killed her opponent."

"_Killed_?" I repeated.

Njada opened her mouth to reply when Aela's voice cut through the air: "You know damn well what we mean, Uthgerd!" the Companion growled. "You went too far last time!"

"It's not my fault your Harbinger chose a warrior with the strength of a newborn to face me!"

I looked at Njada. "What happened after…?"

Njada sighed. "After the incident, Skjor and Aela basically kicked Uthgerd out and told the woman to never come back. I see she can't follow orders." Njada glared at Uthgerd. "Han-Za was a good friend of mine."

"I-I'm sorry," I muttered.

The Nord woman huffed. "It doesn't matter. Han-Za's in a better place, but... it pisses me off. Uthgerd basically got away with murder!"

"Skjor and Aela obviously acted on Kodlak's orders when he told them to kick Uthgerd out the first time… right?"

"Of course they did."

I examined Uthgerd for a moment. There was something about her that piqued my interest. But even I, a woman who lived in the wilds of Skyrim for most of her life, knew when enough was enough (_most_ of the time). Even now, being a Companion for six months, I knew that in order to win a battle one needed to know when one's opponent was beaten. Not only physically, but mentally and emotionally as well.

"And they call _me_ a monster," I muttered much too quietly for Njada to hear.

Uthgerd crossed her arms. "I want to see Kodlak."

Skjor scowled. "He's not seeing anyone at the moment." He paused. "Besides, there's no more room. Kodlak recruited a new member back in Second Seed."

Uthgerd glared at the Werewolf. "Is it that 'Skadi' woman? That bitch wouldn't be able to handle me in a fight!"

I unconsciously growled at the insult, causing Njada to jump and the two Werewolves to glance towards our direction.

"What in Oblvion was that?" Njada hissed.

I tried to think of an excuse. "My stomach," I lied coolly.

Njada smacked me upside the head. "When are you not hungry?"

I shrugged. "I have a high metabolism."

"I'll say." Njada glared at Uthgerd one more time. "Keep that bitch away from me." With that said, she returned to the yard of Jorrvaskr.

"With pleasure," I assured the Nord woman.

I watched Njada retreat before I heard Aela speaking. "Well, why don't we see if Skadi is up for a fight today, eh?"

My wolf's ears pricked up at the idea of fighting, but it wasn't awake enough to want blood.

Uthgerd snorted. "What? Is she some kind of special member?"

_Sort of,_ I mused while the Werewolves shook their heads in unison. "She's just another member, Uthgerd," Skjor muttered.

"I bet she's a milk-drinker. Just like that Imperial girl… Taryn, was it?"

I snarled loudly as I stalked towards the woman. "_Watch your tongue_!" I hissed as I got into Uthgerd's face. Behind me, I felt the anger exuding from Skjor and Aela. Insulting _me_ was one thing, but insulting Taryn, the Harbinger's _daughter_, was going too far.

"So," Uthgerd said dully as if she wasn't in the presence of three Werewolves, "_you're_ Skadi."

I felt a growl traveling up my throat. "Insult Taryn _one more time_ and you'll regret it," I hissed.

Uthgerd laughed at my threat. "What? Did Kodlak need to assign a bodyguard—or better yet…" She smirked. "... a _guard_ _dog_ to protect his _precious_ child from the cruelty of Skyrim?" she taunted.

I pressed my lips together to hide my sharpening teeth while balling my hands into fists to hide the sharpening nails. My wolf was awake, pissed and hungry for that woman's blood. "Shut-up… right _now_."

That didn't deter Uthgerd. "Or _what_? Are you going to go cry to Kodlak?"

Aela got between us. "Enough!" she barked. Her voice sounded slightly hoarse, cluing me into the fact that she was also fighting the urge to kill Uthgerd. "Uthgerd, if you want a fight—."

"You got one!" I growled.

Uthgerd smirked while she pushed some of her hair over her shoulder and strode to the back of the mead hall. But before she was completely out of sight, she taunted, "I look forward to it."

"You okay?" Skjor asked Aela and I when Uthgerd was gone.

"Fine," Aela said after a time, her voice normal as ever.

"I'm fine," I assured the older Companion.

Skjor nodded. "I'm going to let Kodlak know that Uthgerd returned and asked to fight you."

Skjor vanished into the mead hall while Aela and I walked to the back of Jorrvaskr, both still angered beyond belief but hiding it well.

"Were Han-Za and Njada close?" I asked Aela after a few moments.

The Companion's silver eyes glazed over with a new emotion… Grief? "Han-Za came from Black Marsh when he was just a young boy. An orphan… Njada was one too at Honorhall Orphanage. They bonded right away." Aela crossed her arms. "Njada's family is… _different_, let's say, and Njada wanted nothing to do with them."

"So she ran off and was taken to the Orphanage," I said.

Aela nodded. "When Han-Za and Njada were old enough, they left Riften and came here, looking for work. Farkas stumbled upon Njada fighting a patron at the Bannered Mare that thought he would get lucky with her. Han-Za stepped in too and... well, the rest is self-explanatory."

"Njada said that Uthgerd got away with murder…"

Aela avoided the subject. "All I know is Njada hates Uthgerd, and I don't blame her."

We reached the back of Jorrvaskr to see Uthgerd standing near the back entrance, acting as if she belonged there. Her eyes rested on me for a moment before turning to see Kodlak and Elana walk out. Elana was red in the face. I had a bad feeling Skjor told her the insults Uthgerd spat about me and Taryn.

"Harbinger—."

Kodlak narrowed his eyes at the Nord woman. "I told you to not come back, Uthgerd. And now you insult us and challenge one of the Companions to a fight?"

Elana shot me a glance. _Destroy her,_ is what I got out of the look.

"With pleasure," I told Elana with a smile.

"You set me up with a _milk-drinker_ for a partner—!" Uthgerd said.

"_LIAR_!" Njada howled. "Han-Za was _ten times_ the warrior you'll ever be! You're a Gods-damned _murderer_!"

Vilkas and Farkas restrained Njada swiftly. "Calm down, Njada. Skadi knows how to fight…" Farkas whispered.

I glided over to Njada and patted her shoulder. "I'll fight in Han-Za's honor."

A ghost of a smile appeared on her face, but she didn't say anything. She'd probably yell at Uthgerd more if she did.

"So, are we going to fight or stand around?"

I removed my sword and scabbard, handing it to Vilkas. "No weapons," I said. "Just our fists."

"My favorite kind of fight," Uthgerd admitted with a grin.

_/-\_

Uthgerd and I circled each other, our eyes unwavering from each other's. I felt stronger as my wolf growled. It gave me the strength and endurance I'd need for this fight. I found myself thanking it mentally.

Uthgerd swung the first punch, aiming for my face, but I ducked and side-stepped the woman so my foot connected with her back. "GAH!" she exclaimed as she ate dirt. I smirked at my quick work.

"Not bad for a 'milk-drinker', eh?" I taunted.

Uthgerd stood up. "Lucky shot." She charged forward and connected her fist with my gut, causing the air to leave my lungs for a moment. But that was all the time she needed; she was on top of me, her hands clasped around my throat.

"Not so tough now… are you?!" She smirked.

My vision was beginning to darken, but I snuck my legs up to my chest and managed to kick Uthgerd off of me. I stood up, sucking down air greedily while the Nord woman groaned. She must've flown at least four feet from where I'd kicked her.

"You also can't play fair…!" I gasped.

She stood up, but I was already on top of her, my hands around her throat. I'd reversed the situation. "Give up, Uthgerd! You've lost!"

"_NEVER_!" Her fist met my jaw and I stumbled off of her. Something warm and coppery flitted over my tongue. I didn't dare spit the blood out, so I swallowed it instead, but some leaked out from under my lip and traveled down my chin.

We went back to circling each other, my hatred for the woman growing by the second.

"SHE CALLED ME A _WHAT_?!" a familiar voice screeched. I stole a glance to Kodlak and saw a pissed-off Taryn being forcefully held back by Hiemdall. "LET ME AT THAT BITCH!"

I ducked as Uthgerd swung a punch. My leg found her side, causing the woman to go down. I didn't hold back. "You think you can beat _me_?!" I growled while I connected my fist with her face. I picked her up and smashed my knee into her gut, causing the woman to cry out in pain. "You think I'm some _weakling_?!" I pushed the woman away and swept my left leg into her right side. She fell onto her knees, tired and gasping for air. "Admit that you've been beaten! _Say it_!" I snarled.

Uthgerd glanced up at me. Her left eye was swelling shut while blood leaked out from under her lip. "Go ahead," she mumbled. "Kill me. Honor that lizard."

I picked the woman up by her armor. "That's the difference between you and me, Uthgerd," I snarled. "I know when my enemy is beaten. I don't need to kill you in order to win." I threw her to the ground. She gasped in pain, but not before I felt something press against the back of my neck and snap.

My eyes widened as I saw Balfhe's necklace in Uthgerd's hand. "Oh Talos…" Taryn muttered.

"_You_—!" I jumped on her and began punching her as hard as I could. "_YOU GODS-DAMNED BITCH_!" I roared at the Nord. Before she could respond, I grabbed her throat and started squeezing. She dropped the necklace as she clawed at my hands.

"I… s-surrender…!" she gasped desperately.

With a little hesitation on my part, I released my hand from her throat, grabbed the necklace and replaced it to my being. I could still feel the magicka pulsing from it, so the enchantment wasn't broken. I was relieved that it was intact, too.

Kodlak placed a hand on my shoulder, startling me. "You know the answer, Uthgerd. You are not welcomed back. Not now, not ever."

The Nord left Jorrvaskr as quickly as her injured body would allow. When she was gone, I glanced at Taryn, who had a smile on her face.

"Have fun?" she asked.

I stretched my arms out as Kodlak took his hand back. "Lots of fun," I replied with a smile. Taryn summoned some magicka into her palm and helped me to heal my jaw as I did the same. When we were done, Njada approached us.

"Thanks, Skadi. It felt… It felt good to see that woman leave with her tail between her legs."

The Circle, Taryn, and I laughed quietly at the remark, but it was no less sincere. "You're welcome, Njada."

Smiling, she returned to the mead hall while Vilkas and Farkas remained outside to practice. Kodlak shot me an approving look while Elana grinned. Eventually, those two went inside as well, leaving me, Taryn, and Aela.

"Well… I've got nothing better to do. Care to go for a hunt?" she asked the two of us.

"Sure," I said. "But… let me get out of this armor first. It feels... small."

Taryn nudged my side, grinning. "You haven't been over-hunting, have you?"

I raised an eyebrow. "No. I don't over-hunt."

"Oh, that's right. You lived in the wild for most of your life so sarcasm and humor is something you're still learning," Taryn replied smartly.

Before I could respond, Eorlund Gray-Mane approached us. He must've been taking a break from the Skyforge. "It seems that the armor is too small for you, Skadi. I noticed while you were fighting that... Who was it? Uthgerd the Very Broken?"

Aela shot me a look, but smiled because of Eorlund's remark. "You _did _grow a couple inches..."

I tilted my head. "I did?"

Taryn smacked her hand to her face. "Of _course_!" Aela raised an eyebrow at the Imperial. "Something happened with Skadi about a week ago!"

"What?" Aela prompted.

I bit my lip, unsure if I wanted to tell Aela about what happened. "Y-Yeah..." I said. "When I transformed, my fur... it changed."

Eorlund smirked. "So you're a Werewolf too?"

I blushed, suddenly embarrassed that I'd forgotten Eorlund was standing there so quickly. "I didn't think you knew about that."

Eorlund shrugged. "I know, but I don't tell anyone. They wouldn't believe me if I said anything anyways." He examined me meticulously. "I can make you some armor that'll fit and be easy to get off in a pinch."

"Thank you," I mumbled.

With a friendly smile, Eorlund walked back to the Skyforge while Aela circled me. "Anything else happen to you recently?" she asked.

I pulled my hair aside to show her the mark. "This."

I heard Aela inhale sharply. "That's the mark of Hircine!" Aela exclaimed. "Only very few ever see him... What did you do?"

"I had a dream that I was at the Hunting Grounds, and he told me I had to... to..."

"What?" Taryn prompted.

I lowered my eyes to the dirt. "I have to kill Tralen."

Aela frowned. "Tralen?" The way she said his name... It was almost like she'd heard it. "Wait! I remember about ten years ago a notice went out to all the Holds stating that there was a kidnapping in Eastmarch." I crossed my arms. "They suspected a Redguard with that name..." Aela's eyes widened. "It was _you_. _You_ were kidnapped by him."

I nodded. "Tralen took me for the sole purpose of creating a pack. I left when I was twelve, but... I recently discovered he created a pack anyway."

Taryn placed a hand on my shoulder. "So Hircine... blessed you, or something?"

"With a price. I have to kill the pack before I kill Tralen." I swallowed. "The thing is, Tralen's pack is a bunch of _kids_. That Werewolf I killed a few nights ago? It was a _kid_. I met him in my dream."

Aela cleared her throat. "Let's go for a hunt. I want to see this 'prized hunter' for myself."

I nodded. "I-I guess so. Fighting Uthgerd's got me craving something rare to eat."

Taryn smiled. "Sounds like plan. I'll grab my bow."

Aela nodded before she and I walked to the Underforge. We'd wait for Taryn at the passageway from Whiterun.

"You'll be fine, Skadi," Aela consoled as I followed her into the hidden room.

I could only hope she was right.


	24. Chapter 23 - Déjà vu

Chapter Twenty-Three:

Déjà vu

**Turdas 2 Sun's Dusk 4E 199 11:54AM**

"Hey, Skadi," Taryn said after she finished putting some stuff away, "can I ask you a question?"

Taryn and I were both working on lessons. She was studying some history while I was busy with literature. Even though I was a year-and-a-half older than Taryn, I was on her level when it came to lessons (which impressed Elana).

I shut the book I was reading and turned my attention to her. "Of course."

Elana had given me a list of books from Taryn's bookshelf that I'd needed to read and write summaries for. I already a few of them done, but I wanted to space the assignment out. Plus, Elana had some business to deal with up in Winterhold, so I didn't expect her back for a while yet, although it had already been two days since she supposed she would return.

"I want to know what your life was like after Tralen and your parents, but before you came to us." Taryn bit her lip. "I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

"Not _all _of my time in the wild was bad, Taryn," I chided. "In fact, there _are _some memories that I still like to think about." I smiled. "Like this one time, an Imperial woman ran into me..." I trailed off as the memory came to mind.

* * *

**Middas 8 Rain's Hand 4E 196 2:14PM**

The sky above me was an ominous grey, threatening a downpour right on me at any moment. Growling under my breath, I jogged towards Shadowgreen Cavern, my current home for the next few nights, so that I would be sheltered from the probable rainstorm. The fur armor I… _borrowed _from the hunter that was sleeping near Deep Folk's Crossing was the only clothing I owned at the moment, so I didn't want it soaking wet from the rain.

I'd spent a few weeks up in the Jerall Mountains to rest and then moved quickly from there. I knew Tralen wouldn't look for me up in the mountains, especially if it was on the Skyrim/Cyrodiil border. I had the advantage up there. Whereas Tralen was a massive beast when he was in his Beast Form, I was smaller and able to move more efficiently through the frozen wasteland. I was glad for the abundant amounts of snow foxes, snow bears, and snowy sabrecats—but it still didn't stop me from descending into either Skyrim or Cyrodiil and scouting for a few Khajiit.

I was halfway up the hill when it began to drizzle lightly. I knew I'd have to see if any of the traps I'd set a few hours ago caught anything, seeing as how the rain would wash away any fresh scents. I was so absorbed in my thoughts that I didn't realize that someone was barrelling towards me until it was too late.

A solid mass hit me full-on, causing me to lose my balance and tumble to the bottom of the hill. My head was spinning for a moment as I tried to regain my senses and remember where I was.

"Ugh…" I moaned as I laid still on my back. The rain had begun splashing my face and the skin that wasn't covered by the fur armor.

The grass rustled next to me, prompting me to shoot up from where I was laying and hide behind one of the large trees. I narrowed my eyes at the person who ran into me and realized it was an Imperial woman, maybe in her late thirties. I could tell from the subtle grey strands in her brown hair.

The rain began coming down a little harsher. "Hello…?" the woman called. She sat up, rubbing her head from the impact. "I'm sorry if I hurt you!"

_If she's an Imperial, why is she so far from civilization? _I wondered with a tilt to my head. I mean, sure, there were Imperial _bandits_, but not many.

Meeting other people out in the wild wasn't uncommon, seeing as how there were bandits, campers, travelers, caravans and Forsworn running around all the time. But I'd never seen an _Imperial _roaming the woods alone before. Not even when I'd come across Silver Hands!

It took me a moment to realize that the Imperial woman was staring directly at me, a gentle smile on her face. "Hi there," she greeted, prompting me to hide again. I was breathing deeply, and wanted to run far away from her. "I'm sorry for hurting you. That Gods-damned rock popped out of nowhere. I swear."

I poked my head around the tree and studied her for a moment. The woman wore some travelers clothes with a cloak, no doubt to keep warm. She also carried a pack over her shoulder. I assumed that it housed supplies as she stood up, pulling a hood over her head to keep herself dry from the falling rain. "Are you okay?" she asked.

I pursed my lips, but nodded slowly.

"It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you," she said softly.

I snorted. _Yeah, I'm not afraid of you. _But she did fascinate me a little bit. Not many people traveled alone anymore when they camped or traveled from Hold to Hold—not since I gained a reputation throughout the Province.

I carefully stepped out from behind the tree and stood in front of the Imperial. I was at least a half-a-head taller than her, but that was because I was a Nord. The Imperial offered her hand, but I was unsure of what to do so I stared at it for a time until the woman lowered it.

"Aren't you cold?" the woman asked me. I shook my head. "Gods, I'm _freezing_. Do you know of any place that has shelter?"

I pointed to the top of the hill and gestured for the woman to follow. I was halfway up the muddy incline when the woman gasped, cluing me into the fact that she was sliding down. I spun and deftly grabbed her wrist, halting the rapid descent.

"Thank you," she said as she regained her footing. I nodded in response and kept climbing.

The woman wrapped her arms tightly around herself once we reached the top of the hill. "Gods… they must be worried about me."

_"They"? Who's "they"? _I thought with a frown.

Shaking my head, we reached Shadowgreen Cavern before the rain really started coming down. I summoned some fire magicka in my right hand and lit the small branches that I'd set there earlier in the day. There was a spit hanging over the fire. I used it mostly to cook rabbits and foxes that I'd caught in some snares or traps.

Towards the back of the entrance of the cave was a small chest I dragged from Ravenscar Hollow and filled with spare clothes, furs, and blankets. I'd since found hiding places for the clothes.

"Warmth…"

I nearly jumped at the noise. I'd lived without another human companion for so long that I forgot about the Imperial woman. I whirled, watching as she sat close to the blaze, hands stretched out towards the flames while she tried to warm herself.

I opened my mouth to tell her I'd be back to see if I caught anything in the traps, but closed it and decided just to leave.

"Where're you going?!" she exclaimed.

I shot her a dark look, causing her to freeze on the spot while I jogged through the rain to the snares I'd set a while ago.

_/-\_

I returned to Shadowgreen Cavern with three rabbits and a fox in tow. I felt pretty proud that I was able to catch them without having to go wolf and hunt them. Transforming wasn't painful anymore. _That _stopped being painful about two months ago when my cycle started. I wasn't sure if it hurt because I was still growing but… once it stopped hurting, I didn't care.

"Oh, bless the Divines that you came back!" the Imperial woman exclaimed while munching on an apple. My nose scrunched up in distaste at the sight. "Oh, you went to get food."

I nodded and set two rabbits on the ground while I put the other rabbit and fox near the chest. I sat back down in front of the two rabbits and stared at them, unsure if I should just transform my hands and gut them that way or dig in the chest for an iron dagger. I knew there was one in there somewhere.

"Here," the woman said as she offered me her steel dagger.

I took it without saying a word and gutted the animals. After separating the good meat from the entrails, I cleaned the dagger off and handed it back to the woman. She sheathed it back on her hip while I set the two skinned animals on the spit and started rotating them slowly over the fire to cook them evenly.

"What're you doing all the way up here?" the woman asked after a time.

I bit my lip for a moment. "Hunting," I answered quietly.

The woman smiled. "I thought for a moment that you couldn't talk!"

I frowned. "I can talk." I rotated the animals again.

The woman nodded as she took a swig of something from a skin. I inhaled subtly and found that I didn't catch a scent from the skin, so I assumed it was water. "Would you like some?" the woman asked, offering me the skin.

I shook my head. I knew it wasn't poisoned—the woman was drinking it—but I didn't want any.

"Do you hunt here often? I mean, there's plenty of game."

"Not often," I said quietly while rotating the animals again.

It was silent for a moment before I realized the woman was _really _staring at me. "You have nice eyes…"

I gulped. "T-Thanks."

"Do you have any family out here?" she asked.

I felt tears welling up, but I shook my head, grateful that my long hair hid the tears that did fall.

"Oh."

About ten minutes later, I removed the cooked rabbits and offered one to the woman while I set the other in front of me. I sat there and watched carefully while the woman took a bite out of her own rabbit.

"By Azura!" the woman exclaimed. "Where'd you learn to cook like this?!"

I felt my cheeks redden at the praise. "I… don't know…" I answered truthfully.

I dug into my rabbit as if I was eating a Khajiit to keep myself from talking with the stranger. She was nice, sure. But there was always a second, ulterior motive. Someone like her didn't just "get lost" in the woods like that.

My eyes were set firmly on the woman while I ate. When she finished, the woman glanced out at the dark sky and frowned. "I hope she'll be okay…"

_Who does this woman keep talking about? _

The woman reached for her pack and removed a bedroll, and then set it on the ground before burrowing under the covers. "I wish I'd brought another blanket with me," she muttered.

I stood, heading to the chest towards the back, and retrieved a spare blanket. I returned to the woman and spread it out over her rather awkwardly. "Thanks…" she murmured with a small laugh. "Here, let me show you how to cover someone up." She hurried out from under her covers, grabbed the blanket and stared at me. "Do you have a pillow?"

I shook my head.

"Would you lay on the ground for me?"

"No," I growled. _I won't submit to this woman!_

"Please?"

"_No_."

The woman put her hands up in surrender and returned to her bedroll. "I'll instruct you, how's that sound?" I nodded and took the blanket from the woman.

It was easier than I thought. The woman was soon covered up nicely while I returned to the fire to keep it going with short bursts of magicka from my hand.

"Don't you get cold?" the woman asked after a yawn.

I shook my head again.

She fell asleep about ten minutes later, breathing softly while I watched her. She was different, in a way. Curious, I silently walked over to her and inhaled, trying to catch her scent. I certainly didn't expect to catch a strong whiff of _Werewolf _on the woman.

_Is she one too?! _I screamed mentally. She didn't have the silver eyes like I did, and she was far too gentle—and directionally-challenged—to be a Werewolf. Maybe she ran into a small group of them recently…? Shrugging, I lowered myself to the dirt and shut my eyes, my senses alert for anything that might come our way.

_/-\_

"How do you know we're going the right way?" the woman asked while we walked towards a trail that'd lead us to Dragon Bridge.

"I just do," I said crossly.

I'd woken the woman up early this morning, explaining to her that I could take her to Dragon Bridge. Happy with the news, she packed up her belongings and waited for me to lead the way.

"What cities and Holds have you been to?" the woman asked.

"All over," I said. "I visited Cyrodiil once."

"How old are you—?" The woman cut herself off as she tripped over a root. I spun and caught her. It was an automatic reaction, at that point. "Thanks." She brushed herself off. "Now, how old are you?"

"Sixteen."

"How far into Cyrodiil?"

I bit my lip. "County Bruma."

The rest of the trip was pretty silent, except for when we passed a statue of some kind, so I noticed the woman digging through her pack.

"Do you own a map?" I asked.

"Oh, Mara's knickers, no!" I mentally groaned. "I don't need the Thalmor finding it and knowing my next location!"

I tilted my head. _Thalmor? Does she mean those Altmer that I can't stand to eat because they reek like magicka? _"It… wouldn't hurt to own a map," I suggested. "Aren't you aware of the rumors?"

The woman nodded. "About the Savage of Skyrim? My husband wanted Skjor to come with me on this trip but I assured him that I'd be fine. Even my daughter begged me to take Aela with me."

_Skjor… Aela…? _I raised an eyebrow. "Well, you were lucky I found you before the Savage did."

The woman nodded before tripping over another root. "Oof!" I caught her easily. "Thanks again!"

About five (long) minutes later, I pointed to the town. "This is as far as I can take you. I think they have a carriage near the bridge."

The woman had taken a few steps ahead of me before she stopped. "Why don't you come with me?" She offered her hand. "I'm sure my husband will like to meet you. I mean—hey, wait!" the woman exclaimed as I shot through the woods as quick as I could. I could still hear the woman screaming and I prayed that she wouldn't come after me. I'd be hesitant to help her a second time.

_Thank the Nine she didn't ask for a name, _I thought with relief.

* * *

**Turdas 2 Sun's Dusk 4E 199 12:30PM**

"That woman sounds like my mother," Taryn replied. "I mean, she asked _all_ the questions, except for the important ones!"

My brow furrowed for a moment while I recalled the woman I helped three years ago and compared her to Elana. I found that they were... eerily similar.

"Taryn…" I muttered when the realization hit me.

"… Yeah?" she prompted.

I stared at her. "That woman _was_ your mother." I rested my hand on my forehead. "I can't _believe_ I didn't see the similarities before!"

Taryn opened her mouth to reply when Kodlak barged in, startling the two of us. "Skadi! Thank the Divines you're here!"

"Sir?"

"Dad, what's going on?" Taryn asked.

He took a breath. "Your mother isn't home yet. I think she's lost."

I smirked at the memory I just shared with Taryn. "So? She's been lost before, and that one time that woman helped her, remember?" I ground my teeth together to stop myself from laughing.

"Taryn, she's two days late. She went to _Winterhold_!" He frowned. "You know she can't handle the cold like we can."

Taryn's attitude changed from relaxed to worried in an instant. I was feeling the unease too. I wasn't a stranger to the harsh climate of Winterhold, and Taryn had had a taste of that climate back when those Silver Hands were after us.

"And you wanted me for what, sir?" I asked.

Kodlak took a breath. "Your sense of smell is better than Aela's. _Please__,_ can you go find my wife before...?"

I was halfway out the door when Kodlak trailed off. I wasn't sure if Taryn was crying or just upset, but I _felt _her unease leaking from her in torrents. She wanted to come, that much was certain, but she knew she'd just slow us down.

"I'll send out Hiemdall and Vilkas, too!" Kodlak shouted as I ran down the hall and up the steps to the main level. I dimly wondered what Taryn was doing, knowing that she couldn't come.

When I was in the safety of the Underforge I undressed, transformed, jumped out of the secret passage (counting my blessings that no guards or citizens were around) and sprinted north, picking up Elana's scent easily enough. I just hoped Hircine would bless me on that mission and keep Elana alive long enough that I could reach her.

* * *

**Turdas 2 Sun's Dusk 4E 199 3:21PM**

I had my black nose buried in the knee-deep snow while I tried to follow the fading trail. It was a pretty straight-forward trail, but with the snow falling consistently it was making the tracking difficult.

I lifted my muzzle to the air and inhaled sharply, wincing as the cold stung my nostrils, _but _I smelt a fire not too far from where I was (which was near Stillborn Cave). I bolted for it, hoping and praying it was Elana. When I found and approached the camp, I saw a dark mass curled in on itself. I surveyed the area. Fear settled into my stomach when I spotted a snowy sabrecat stalking the bundle of clothes.

_No, no, no, no, no, NO! _I bolted forward from my spot and leapt at the cat, my jaws snapping as I tried to kill it. It slashed at my face, but I pulled back a split-second before the cat's claws made contact with my face. I rose on my hind legs and roared at the animal, causing it to stumble on its side and try to run away from me. Instead of letting the predator go, I jumped it and clamped my jaws around its throat, tearing into the flesh.

I stopped my attack when the snowy sabrecat laid limp in the blood-stained snow. I growled at the corpse for a good few seconds before I remembered the camper. I padded over silently and inhaled quickly, wincing again when the chilly air hit me. The scent settled in my mind as a picture appeared in front of my vision. _Elana! _I very carefully moved part of the blanket from her body and observed her shaking violently from the cold.

I lowered my head and brushed my snout against her cheek, prompting her to open her eyes. Once she focused them, a smile appeared on her (more-than-likely) numb face.

"S-Skadi," she stammered. _Gods, am I glad my fur and Balfhe's necklace makes it easier for her to know who I am_, I thought with a relieved sigh.

I maneuvered myself so I was curled up around Elana, my tail just grazing her chin while she buried herself deeper into my russet-colored fur. "T-T-T-T-T-Thank y-y-y-you f-for c-c-c-c-coming," she chattered.

I huffed warm air into her face, hoping the warm air would do her good. The fire she had going wasn't going to last much longer and Elana needed to get out of the cold. I stared at the woman for a moment. Her hands had a death grip on my fur while she turned and curled face-first into my side before I threw my head up and howled. I hoped Vilkas and Hiemdall were out there, or at least close enough that they would hear me.

My howl was answered when I saw Vilkas' large wolf form running towards us, Hiemdall not far behind (who was carrying a pack for some reason). I barked my relief while Hiemdall plopped down next to me and pushed himself gently against Elana, giving her some of his body heat as well. She moaned relief. I was glad for the noise she provided, since I wanted to make certain she was still breathing. Vilkas veered off and hid behind some rocks as he reverted to his own body.

"I'll get the fire going again," Vilkas said as he pulled some furs on. "I brought some extra furs for Elana as well." He walked to the small gap Hiemdall and I made so Vilkas could cover Elana up. She muttered a thanks.

A couple minutes later, Vilkas had the fire going while he found some of Elana's food and cooked what he could. Hiemdall left to get some wild game (I gestured to the snowy sabrecat), which prompted Elana to curl into me again. Color was returning to her cheeks and her breathing was regulating. _You're bringing a map with you from now on, _I thought to the woman. _Like you should've three years ago..._

Vilkas was able to get some warm broth down Elana's throat. She immediately looked healthier (and not as blue as beforehand). Vilkas had set some bowls down for Hiemdall and I but I pushed my towards Elana, who drank it thankfully. I rolled my eyes and snorted at her.

"Oh, shut-up!" She gently smacked my nose. "You know..." Her voice trailed off as she began to tire. "You remind me of this young Nord girl I met a few years ago..."

I gave a short, wolfish laugh. _Oh, if only you knew the half of it, _I thought with a wolfish smile. Elana leaned close against me while Hiemdall rested his massive head gently on Elana's legs and feet to keep them warm, a few fur blankets were wrapped around Elana, as if she was a newly-mummified corpse.

It was definitely a déjà vu moment for me.


	25. Chapter 24 - Of Sabrecats and Werewolves

Chapter Twenty-Four:

Of Sabrecats and Werewolves

**Loredas 11 Sun's Dusk 4E 199 1:22PM**

I rubbed my eyes as I led Ace at a steady trot on the trade roads. I'd thought about transforming and running to the mill, but I'd remembered that Brandr had said he'd be up there hunting the rather abundant amount of sabrecats. Of course, he'd said that back in Heartfire, so it was a possibility that he was long gone, but I didn't want to risk him catching sight of me or finding one of my larger prints. So there I was, riding on the back of my horse for the last six hours. I'd camped near the Nightgate Inn the previous night and awoke early the next morning so I'd reach the mill at around dinner time.

I adjusted the iron pauldron that rested on my left shoulder as Ace continued to trot along the road. A few days after my little "fight" with Uthgerd, Eorlund had called me up to the Skyforge to give me my new armor. It was completely different from the leather armor that Adrianne had forged for me, but I found that I enjoyed Eorlund's a bit more.

The armor that he forged was similar to the Thieves Guild armor (or so Taryn said. Gods only knew how she would know such a thing), but the material was stronger than regular leather. The leggings of the armor resembled something similar to iron armor, and the ensemble was completed by leather boots with a thin metal covering to protect my legs. Eorlund was also able to let me keep the hood (something I was grateful for) and he managed to make the armor so I could get it off in a pinch if I had to. The man certainly did think ahead.

"Hey!" a familiar voice shouted.

I pulled Ace to a stop and glanced in the direction of the noise. My eyes widened when I spotted Brandr jogging out of the woods with a smile on his face while he held his Imperial bow. "Brandr?!" I dismounted my horse to meet the hunter halfway. "What're you doing so far from the road?!" I exclaimed as I pushed my hood from my face.

He chuckled. "I was tracking an elk when I spotted some Werewolf tracks, so I've been following them."

I crossed my arms. "Where did you see these prints?" I asked.

He shrugged while scratching his stubble-covered chin. "I don't remember, actually. I _was _after the elk, after all."

I shook my head. "You need to pay attention. Eastmarch isn't exactly like Whiterun or Falkreath. You could freeze to death!" The fresh image of Elana curled in on herself in Winterhold was a scary reminder of what could happen out in the wild.

"I know, I know." He sighed. "Why're _you_ up here?" he asked. "Did you decide to see how many sabrecat pelts you can gather?"

I bit my lip for a moment. I was being distracted and mesmerized by Brandr's eyes and… _everything_. "Um… I'm visiting a friend."

Brandr raised an eyebrow. "Wouldn't happen to be that Mendre guy at Mixwater Mill, would it?"

I frowned. "How do you know him…?"

"I stopped there for a time to get some supplies and help out. Hulgar needed to leave for a few days and Gilfre was desperate for an extra pair of hands," Brandr explained plainly.

"_When _did Hulgar leave?" I prompted.

Brandr rubbed the back of his head. "Uh… sometime around the twenty-fourth of Frostfall," Brandr answered. "He came back about a week ago." I nodded and noticed Brandr eyeing the new armor I was in. "What happened to your leather armor?"

"Outgrew it," I answered.

Brandr's lips curled into a smile. "I thought you grew a couple of inches. Tilma must be feeding the Companions plenty of greens."

My stomach lurched at the prospect of eating greens. Yuck. "Yeah…" I replied. "I was lucky enough to have Eorlund Gray-Mane forge it for me. I know now why people say his work is legendary. I don't even feel the iron on my shoulder or the plates on my boots."

His eyes narrowed to the necklace that rested against my new armor. "Nice necklace. Who gave it to you?" he asked. I thought I detected an edge of worry in his voice.

I glanced at the necklace. "Balfhe gave it to me. Hulgar's son."

Brandr's frown flipped into a smile. "Oh! I thought—. Never mind." I shook my head. Brandr continued to smile. "So, do you mind giving a lone hunter a ride to Mixwater Mill?"

I smiled politely. "Sure. We should get there soon." I mounted Ace and waited for Brandr to hop up. He stared at me for a moment before mounting up behind me, wrapping his arms around my midsection. I felt myself unconsciously lean back, hoping Brandr would interpret it as an attempt to keep warm.

"Skadi…?" he intoned, his breath warm against my neck.

"Hm…?" I replied.

Brandr's gentle laugh filled my ears. "Are we going to get moving?"

I blinked a couple of times to clear my mind. "O-Of course!" I whipped the reins and Ace pulled forward. My face was no doubt as red as a snowberry (I think Ace was laughing at me from the constant snorts I heard from him, too). I pulled my hood to cover my face so Brandr wouldn't see how _embarrassed _I was.

It was going to be a _long _trip to the mill.

* * *

**Loredas 11 Sun's Dusk 4E 199 3:59PM**

Brandr and I arrived at the mill almost two hours after we met up on the road (honestly, it felt a _lot_ _longer_ than a couple of hours). During that time, Brandr was asking me questions about what I did before I joined the Companions. I had to think of something that was close to the truth, yet far from it. Eventually, I told Brandr that I was a bounty hunter for the Jarls, but quit when Kodlak offered me the opportunity to join the Companions. He seemed impressed and didn't pry any further.

But throughout trip to Mixwater Mill, it felt as though a swarm of butterflies had made a permanent home in the center of my stomach. My heart was thudding loudly in my ears and chest. It also didn't help that Brandr's warm breath was constantly hitting the back of my neck, and whenever Brandr spoke (which was often) I found myself distracted and nearly directed Ace into a tree each time.

"Skadi!" Gilfre exclaimed when she spotted me riding into the mill.

I lowered my hood. "Gilfre," I greeted. "Is Balfhe home?"

Gilfre nodded and glanced behind me to see Brandr. "Oh! I didn't realize you had company!"

I shrugged. "I'm just helping Brandr out. He stumbled upon me while I was riding Ace," I explained while gently patting the black stallion's neck.

Brandr dismounted from my horse and held a hand out to help me. I grasped it and easily dismounted. Gilfre eyed the two of us for a moment before returning to the lumber mill near the river, casting looks I couldn't interpret over her shoulder.

"Thanks for lending me a ride, Skadi." Brandr grinned when Gilfre was out of earshot.

I shrugged and grabbed Ace's reins before he got the bright idea of running off… _again_. "It's not a problem," I replied while stroking Ace's black mane. "I'm glad you were able to find the road, honestly. Do you own a map?"

Brandr pulled out a folded piece of parchment. "Never leave home without one."

"You should tell Elana that. She _never _takes a map with her and always ends up getting lost."

Brandr laughed. "Maybe one day I'll stop by Whiterun and we can spend some time together." My heart leapt at the idea of meeting Brandr in Whiterun. "You can show me what the Hold has to offer for game."

"Oh…" My face fell slightly.

Brandr lifted my chin with his hand. "I was kidding. It wouldn't hurt to visit though. You could give me a tour of the place."

I nodded. "I suppose." I started leading Ace up the road and along a trail that'd take me to Balfhe's home. I noticed Brandr following me. "Are you going to Windhelm to get a horse or pay for a wagon?"

He shrugged. "Probably buy a horse. I was thinking about going to the Rift and seeing if the Jarl needs any animals taken care of."

"Well, be careful. I hear there are a lot of bears that call the Rift their home." Balfhe's home came into view, so I tied Ace to a tree. He began to graze on the grass nearby.

"I know," Brandr responded. I faced him, only to have that swarm of butterflies appear again. "Maybe you can come with…?"

I shook my head. "I can't just up and leave when I feel like it. I have to see if Kodlak has any contracts for me, or Aela and Vilkas want to train me some more in archery or with some blades. The trips up here are only acceptable because I only spend the day."

"Oh."

"Sorry," I murmured while staring at the house. My eyes narrowed when I saw a letter on the front door. I walked over and plucked the letter from the door to read it.

_Skadi, _

_Balfhe is running around the house outside. Hulgar is at the mill working, and I had to go to Windhelm to get some supplies. I'll be back before dinner._

_—Hreir_

I moaned. "Gods-dammit..." I shoved the letter into the pack I brought.

Brandr walked up behind me. "What?"

"Balfhe's out running around somewhere. I just hope he stayed close by," I growled.

I unconsciously felt around for my weapons. My steel arrows were strapped to my back, as usual, and my Imperial bow was slung across my torso. "Thanks again, Skadi," Brandr said. I inhaled subtly, catching Balfhe's trail, and began walking towards it.

"Like I said before, it's nothing—."

"No." Brandr gently gripped my wrist. I stopped in my tracks and turned so I was staring at him. "I mean it. Thank-you for helping me." My eyes widened when he bent his head down. I felt his lips gently press against my cheek. I froze on the spot as Brandr pulled away, releasing my wrist from his grip.

I brought my hand up to touch the spot where he kissed me and watched dumbly as he ran back to the mill. _He… He _kissed _me? _I wondered for a moment. _Why would he do that? _I stood there for another moment, completely dumbfounded by the gesture. When his lips were pressed against my skin… It felt like a mage had just zapped me with a shock spell, although it wasn't at all unpleasant.

Another two minutes passed before I was able to think clearly. My skin was tingling from the kiss, but that was put in the back of my mind when I began searching for Balfhe.

"Balfhe!" I called. I walked further into the woods. "BALFHE!"

I crouched and traced a human foot-print that was resting next to a—. "Gods! _No_!" I screamed as I raced through the woods.

Jumping over and ducking under logs, branches, and rocks, I skidded to a stop when I came to a clearing and saw a pack of sabrecats converging on a single spot. I inhaled once. The strong scent of sabrecat woke up my wolf completely and I felt the urge to hunt enter my mind, but there it was. The smaller scent that I was more focused on finding.

Balfhe's.

"H-HELP!" a tiny voice wailed. "SKADI! HELP ME!"

"BALFHE!" I cried. I took a step forward before a painful reminder shot through my spine. I glanced at the sabrecats and realized that if I stayed human, I wouldn't be able to take all of the cats down. With shaky hands, I began removing my armor and weapons as the transformation began. "Please, Hircine… Don't let any harm come to Balfhe!" I whispered, praying the huntsman would hear.

I tossed my armor aside as the transformation took over entirely. When I opened my eyes again, my lips parted over my muzzle as I lunged at the sabrecat closest to me.

* * *

**Loredas 11 Sun's Dusk 4E 199 4:32PM**

I regained my senses almost immediately. I _tried _to recall what'd happened, but I found that no matter how hard I tried to remember, I couldn't. It was like I was trying to see something with dirt in my eyes. It unnerved me that I couldn't recall what I'd done, especially with _Balfhe _so close.

His uneven breathing caught my attention. I turned my head so I was staring at him. His eyes were shut tightly as his body shook in fear. I narrowed my eyes slightly, spotting tears sliding down his face in a gushing river as he whimpered in fear.

I tentatively padded over to the boy. He ducked his head slowly as he curled into a ball, and I tilted my head in confusion. If I didn't have razor sharp fangs at the moment, I'd be smiling at the kid for knowing what to do in that kind of a situation. Snorting quietly, I nudged Balfhe's belly with my nose, blowing a little bit of warm air on him.

His eyes slowly opened, only to close again when he realized how close I was to him. My ears hung when I realized that he wouldn't move. _How to get him to realize he's not in danger…?_ I wondered. I sat on my haunches while I thought, watching the boy that was curled into a ball in front of me. For a second time, I huffed and nudged Balfhe with my nose, prompting him to open his eyes.

"P-Please…!" he begged while trying to make himself even smaller.

I shrugged off the necklace he'd given me back in Heartfire and moved it with my paw so that it was resting in front of me. I whimpered quietly to get his attention.

"H-Huh…?"

I brought my paw forward, instructing him to look at the ground. He listened, and then his eyes grew wide.

"I-I gave that to Skadi!" His eyes rested on me for a moment. "B-But why d-do _you_ have it?!"

Sighing, I lowered myself further so I was resting on my side in a vulnerable position. _Thank the Daedra that Taryn isn't here to see this_, I thought.

Balfhe glanced at me, moving from his ball position to a sitting position while he examined his—my—necklace. Confusion was dominant in his eyes (it was rather adorable to say the least), but I could still see a little bit of fear. With a small finger, he traced the gem in the middle before he set his eyes on me. We stared at each other for a bit before Balfhe moved his eyes to the sabrecats I'd taken care of. Out of habit I licked my muzzle clean of blood. I was glad the bloodlust wasn't even _trying _to cloud my mind for a change.

I examined Balfhe when he looked at me before I glanced at the necklace in his hands, a whine escaping my throat.

"S-Skadi…?" he mumbled.

I barked softly, inclining my head as I did so. I was momentarily surprised when Balfhe lunged forward, wrapping his arms around my neck tightly and burying his face into my fur while he bawled his eyes out.

I'd lost count of how many times the boy thanked me, but when the worst of his crying fit was over, he replaced the necklace around my throat. He seemed amazed that it fit, despite being a normal-sized trinket when he held it.

"H-How is this possible?!" he asked me.

I shrugged. It was literally all I could do to answer him at the moment. Balfhe scooted closer to me, tilting his head while he stared at me intently.

"Why're your eyes gold and not silver?"

I huffed.

"Can you talk?"

_Yes, I can talk. But you can't understand it. _I barked at him. He jumped a little bit at the noise (he probably expected words like Elana), but smiled nonetheless. Another few minutes passed before he hugged me tightly again. "Thank you for coming," he mumbled into my fur.

A low noise rumbled in my throat. It wasn't a growl… I wasn't sure _what _it was. Balfhe moved so he was leaning against my side, letting me rest my head on his lap. A few seconds later I felt his hand petting the fur on my head. Usually I'd growl and deter anyone from petting me (I was a Werewolf, for Gods' sake!), but Balfhe was just a kid and just witnessed a Werewolf kill a pack of sabrecats as if it wasn't a big deal.

Unfortunately, like all good things, it had to come to an end. I felt a familiar spasm travel down my spine. Nudging Balfhe again, he scrambled away from me as I stood on all fours.

"What's wrong?"

I knew the process that happened when I reverted into my own body. My arms and legs would transform back first, then my torso, followed by my head. I lifted a paw that was slowly becoming a human hand, showing Balfhe what was happening. He tilted his head and watched me while bolted for the safety of the forest (and my armor. The poor kid was scarred enough, after all).

_/-\_

"Balfhe?" I called, stepping out into the clearing and adjusting my iron pauldron as I did so. The stench of the dead but not yet rotting sabrecats was _almost _overwhelming. "BALFHE!"

He poked his head up from a bush he'd been hiding in. "Skadi!" he cheered before he jumped at me.

"GAH!" I exclaimed as I wrapped my arms around the boy and fell on my back into the dirt. "Balfhe!" I wheezed, the air gone from my lungs. "Why did you do that?!"

He squeezed my mid-section tightly before releasing me. "Because you're the best friend a boy could want! Who else can say that their best friend is a wo—!" I placed my hand over his mouth. _Mendre can, _I mused.

"Balfhe, you need to know there are rules to knowing what I am," I said sternly. He removed himself from me and sat cross-legged.

"Rules?"

I nodded. "Yes. Not everyone knows about my little… uh, _secret_, and there are bad people that want to hurt me because of it. Scary people with silver weapons."

"I won't let them hurt you!"

I swallowed. "Balfhe, there are other people that want to hurt me. People that are like me, but they don't like to play with little boys." I scooted closer. "These people like to _eat _little boys and girls."

I knew I probably shouldn't have said anything about the matter, but it had to be out sooner or later.

"R-Really?" Balfhe stammered.

I nodded. "Yes. But you don't have to worry about them. _Ever_. You know why?" Balfhe shook his head. "Because I'm here to protect you." I smiled.

He beamed before hugging me again. "Thank you, Skadi."

I hugged him back just as tightly. "I'd do anything to protect you, Balfhe." I glanced at him, then the sky. "Including getting you home before your mother has a fit."

He ducked his head while with both stood up. I offered my hand before we started the trek back to the home.

"I have one more question, Skadi…" Balfhe mumbled.

"What's that?" I asked.

He watched me for a time. "Do my parents know about you?"

I felt all color drain from my face. This was going to be a _long_ walk.


	26. Chapter 25 - Ambushed

Chapter Twenty-Five:

Ambushed

**Sundas 12 Sun's Dusk 4E 199 9:45PM**

I rested on my back in the backyard of Balfhe's home, a piece of wild grass between my teeth while my arms were tucked behind my head. My eyes stared up at the clear sky, finding patterns in the stars while I waited until Balfhe was asleep so I could transform and run off to complete that contract Kodlak had assigned to me after my visit. But I didn't understand why he gave it to _me _if I was going to Eastmarch and the contract was in the Rift. Near Shor's Stone, actually. Perhaps the other Companions were busy elsewhere...?

I was grateful that Mendre would take Ace back to Whiterun for me (I gave him some gold for a wagon ride home along with a bit extra so he could spend the night in Whiterun if he had to). I hadn't wanted to leave him behind, and I'd thought I'd ride him back, but my body was literally _itching _for a run in my other body.

_I'll have to see if I can find that woman—the one that was suppose to marry that man I killed_, I thought with a sigh.

My ears pricked at the sound of the front door opening and closing roughly. _I wonder what—?_

"Get up!" Hulgar growled.

I turned my head so I was staring at him. He was holding a torch in one hand while his other hand was twitching towards his mace. "What do you want, Hulgar?" I asked, bored with waiting

"I said, _get up_!" he snapped. "Get up right now! I'm still your father, so you have to listen—!"

I laughed. "Right. Nice joke, Hulgar." I fixated my eyes up at the sky again. "What do you want?" I repeated.

"Balfhe told Hreir and I some interesting news…" He glared at me. "Balfhe told us that you're a wolf."

"It's not like you didn't know that," I remarked smartly.

Hulgar took a step closer to me. "_How does he know_?" he growled. Unfortunately for him, his threats were about as intimidating as a squirrel.

I scoffed. "Why should I tell you _my_ side of the story?" I replied, turning my head so I was staring at the Nord. "It's not like you're going to accept it. Hircine knows you couldn't accept the truth six years ago."

Hulgar's breaths were starting to become uneven. "I've had it with your attitude! You _will _listen to me! You understand?!"

I smirked. "Oh, I understand, but I'm not going to listen to you." I sat up, removing the wild grass and tossing it onto the ground next to me. "If you have to know, Hulgar," I said in the most polite tone I could muster, "I'll tell you the story, but you need to act _civil _about it."

He bared his teeth. "You know _nothing _about being civil!"

I laughed again. "Really? If I didn't know anything about being 'civil' I wouldn't have met Jarl Balgruuf the Greater, I wouldn't know how to read and write, I wouldn't know how to speak as fluently as I am now, I wouldn't have become a Companion, and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be dressed at the moment," I replied, counting off the reasons with my fingers.

The last part caught him off guard slightly, his cheeks flaming at the mention of the fact that I had spent most of my life unclothed. "Just tell me the story..." he muttered.

"Ask me nicely. Treat me as a guest, not a dog."

Hulgar sucked in a breath, his dark eyes staring at me while he calmed down. "_Please _tell me the story."

I crossed my arms. "That wasn't so hard, was it?" Hulgar glared at me. "Okay, so I was just riding Ace here—I didn't think coming as a giant wolf was a good idea this time—when I ran into Brandr." I paused. "He helped me in Rorikstead back in Heartfire. Anyway, we ran into each other and he was heading to Windhelm anyway, so I offered him a ride. We talked for a bit before I came here and found Hreir's note about Balfhe playing in the yard. As luck would have it, Balfhe wasn't nowhere _near _the house or they yard."

Hulgar groaned quietly. "That boy… He takes after…"

I felt an eyebrow rise. "Takes after _me_, doesn't he?" Hulgar frowned. "But back to my side of the story. Brandr and I parted ways so I started searching the area for Balfhe, only to find his prints next to a sabrecat's." Hulgar paled. "Better than a Werewolf, right?" I teased just to piss the Nord off. "Anyhow, I rushed towards where the prints led and I saw five sabrecats converging on him. I wouldn't have been able to kill them as a human so I had no choice but to transform."

Hulgar seemed to relax a little. "And Balfhe?"

I shrugged. "He was scared. It's normal to be scared when you're faced with death." I sighed. "He eventually calmed down, and when he saw the necklace he'd given me, he actually figured it out."

Hulgar remained silent while he processed what I told him. "You didn't hurt him?" Hulgar asked.

"The only thing I did was clean the blood from his face from when I was fighting the cats," I said.

"_Blood_?!" Hulgar nearly roared.

"Not _his _blood! By the Nine! It was _sabrecat _blood!" I pinched the bridge of my nose, the gesture reminding me of when Hreir had to tell Balfhe to settle down or else I was to leave early. "I gave him a kiss—like how a dog will lick your face to show affection? Then he still had some blood on his face, so I transformed back and took him to a hot spring, dampened a cloth I carry with me, and washed his face for him. When we finished, we came back here." I glanced at Hulgar. "End of story."

He was silent while processing the information. "I-I don't know what to say…"

"How about, 'Gee, I guess I was wrong about you, Skadi. I'm so sorry for calling you a monster', or, 'I'm sorry for the time when I tried to kill you'. Either one would work." I chuckled darkly. "Or this one would _really _seal the deal: 'I'm sorry for throwing you out of the house and abandoning you as a child'."

"I… I believe you," he said after a time, each of my suggestions obviously hurting him somehow. "I believe your story."

"_That's_ a first for me," I replied smartly. I glanced up at Masser to see that it was two hours to midnight. "Is Balfhe asleep yet?"

"Should be. Why?"

I turned my back and started taking my armor off, putting it at my feet. "Ask Mendre to take the armor with him when he takes Ace back to Whiterun."

I felt Hulgar's eyes widen at my lack of modesty. "Put some clothes on!" he snapped.

I crouched down, reaching into my belt to retrieve the letter. I read it twice to make sure I memorized it. "I'd prefer _not __to _ruin my armor," I said, turning my head towards him. "Are you seriously staring at me? Wouldn't that make you a criminal?"

Hulgar closed his mouth, pursing his lips. "Gods-dammit! Put some clothes on before Hreir comes out here and sees you!"

I laughed. "All she would see is a giant Werewolf with jewelery."

With those words said, I knelt on the ground and let the wolf out. Hulgar took a few steps back while I transformed and when I was done, I turned so I was staring up at Hulgar (more or less I was chest-height when on all fours). I gave him a sarcastic glance, which he frowned at.

"Thanks for saving, Balfhe," he mumbled.

I shrugged. Before I left the home, I padded to the side of the house, with Hulgar on my tail.

"What're you doing?!" he growled at me while holding my armor.

With a roll of my eyes, I stood on my hind legs, using my forepaw I opened the front door and returned to all fours. Hreir nearly screamed when she saw me poke my muzzle in, but I was able to see Balfhe sleeping peacefully in his bed. Alive, not covered in blood, and happy.

_I'll see you soon, I promise_, I thought to the boy before I turned, startling Hulgar with my speed, and bolted into the woods.

* * *

**Morndas 13 Sun's Dusk 4E 199 1:09AM**

I slowed my sprint to a jog as I approached Mistwatch Tower. I knew that bandits lived there, but I didn't know if said bandits patrolled the perimeter of the fort. With a huff, I kept myself hidden in the bushes as I made my way southwest towards Shor's Stone. The person that sent the contract was expecting me in a few hours and I had to make sure I got there on time—.

I yelped when a solid mass hit me on my side, forcing me into the dirt. I shook my head once and turned to see two large black Werewolves circling me. _Oh Gods, please don't tell me these two are who I think they are…_

The larger of the two Werewolves snarled at me before jumping at me. I dodged the attack, causing the Werewolf to skid through the earth a ways before coming to a stop. It whirled its head at me, gold eyes lit with hatred, fury, and undiluted bloodlust. The smaller Werewolf kept its distance from the fight. The larger Werewolf was obviously the one in charge.

_You want a fight?! _I snarled. _You got one! _I leapt at the large Werewolf (I was bigger), my claws tearing through fur, skin, and muscle. The vomit-inducing smell of Tralen's blood assaulted my senses with every wound I inflicted on this Werewolf. It cried out in agony with each wound it received. Just as I was about to rip the back of its throat out, the smaller Werewolf attacked me, shoving me off its pack mate and into the dirt.

I shook my head out, my teeth bared at the two pups—well, the smaller one was more or less still a pup while the larger one was almost full-grown. My hackles rose while a steady growl vibrated from my throat, warning those two that I wasn't going to mess around. The larger Werewolf staggered from the wounds it sustained from my attacks, but it still seemed eager to fight.

The smaller Werewolf glanced at the larger before it lunged at me. But, to the Werewolf's surprise, I knew what it was going to do and I jumped at it, pushing it back so my forepaws were resting on its shoulders. My jaw parted in a flash and my teeth started tearing at the throat. Eventually the smaller Werewolf's struggles and howls ceased into nothing but whimpers and wet gurgling sounds as blood clotted in its throat.

I hurried off of the dead Werewolf just as the larger Werewolf growled and lunged at me. I swiped at its face and I was rewarded with cries of pain. Staggering from my attack, the larger Werewolf crouched down, prepared to run. I jumped on it again, my teeth tearing into the neck with as much vigor as if a Khajiit had told me, "Hey, come eat me!".

In what seemed like seconds later, the Werewolf was dead, my muzzle coated in the most foul, disgusting substance in the Nirn. I didn't bother to clean it. I'd use the Treva river when I reached it to spare myself the gagging.

I felt something warm and sticky matting the side of my fur. With a frown, I turned my head and saw a gash on my side that had only just begun to heal. _Damn mutts, _I thought bitterly.

Turning, I continued my trek to Shor's Stone and trying not to remember that I just killed two kids. _What if Tralen turned Balfhe...? Would I have to kill him too? _I wondered while I walked through the woods. Ever since that dream/vision I had... things just kept getting weirder and weirder for me: first my growth spurt (in both bodies), then my fur changing color... I just kept wondering what the end result was going to be when I finally killed off Tralen's pack. Would I have a chance to be human again? Would I lose my wolf? I shuddered at those ideas. I did want to be human again, really I did. But I've been a Werewolf for so long that it's the only way I know how to live.

_Just don't think that far ahead in the future Skadi, _I thought. _If you have to, go see Olava back home when you can, I'm sure she can tell you what's going to happen to you..._

A while later, I was passing Darkwater Pass; only stopping to clean my muzzle of the vomit-inducing substance that decided to dry on my muzzle. I glanced up and down the Treva River to make sure I was truly alone before I slowly walked into the water to clean out the wound on my side. I had a feeling it already healed, but it's not like I wanted to wake up as a human and have to explain why I have dried blood on my side when there's no wound. While I cleaned myself, I had to think of where the nearest set of clothes were in the Rift.

_I have a set buried near Clearspring Tarn, Tolvald's Cave, and Riften itself... _I trudged out of the water, shaking myself dry before I sat down and stared into the thinning woods.

_I ran through the woods as fast as my human body would allow, a grin plastered on my face as I held the pouch of jewels close to me. Behind me, I could hear the cries of the angry bandits fading into the night as I approached the Rift Watchtower. I didn't have any use for the jewels, there wasn't anything that I could get from them (nothing that was useful to say the least)._

I shook my head as a wolfish laugh slipped through my teeth. That was probably one of the less important memories I had, but I soon remembered that, after stealing those jewels and leaving them near the stables for someone to find, I'd decided to run to Falkreath... _I spent my one of my last nights in the wild stealing from a stronghold filled with angry bandits. _I huffed after a while, checking my side to see that it was healed and the fur hid what was left of the wound well.

* * *

**Morndas 13 Sun's Dusk 4E 4:09AM**

My vision began to blur about an hour ago. My legs started to shake slightly, and I could feel the minor spasms worsen as I walked. I tried walking on two legs to see if I could trick my mind into thinking I was back in my human body, but that didn't even have a chance in Oblivion of working. I was near Autumnshade Clearing (I remembered I buried a set of clothes there) when I stumbled slightly. Frowning, I glanced down to see a nearly human hand acting as a paw.

_I need to find a place to—._

"GET THE MONSTER!" a voice roared.

My ears pricked up at the sound of multiple people approaching me. I made to bolt, to get away, but an arrow—_several_ arrows lodged in my legs, the metal burning my muscles so intensely that I howled in agony while attempting to limp away.

"DON'T LET IT ESCAPE!" another shouted.

I stumbled slightly, the pain of the metal and the spasms in my own body nearly blinding me. _Get away…! Get away…! _I chanted to myself. I didn't see where I was going because I stepped on something that snapped shut on my right forepaw, digging into my muscle and _almost snapping_ my bone in half. A pain-filled howl ripped from my throat the same time I saw men—mostly Nords—surrounding me. My heart was thudding loudly as I watched them corner me. My leg was all but numb from the pain.

"Not so scary now, are you?" a voice said with a smug tone.

I growled, but I wasn't sure if it was from pain or from the hunter.

"Didn't think so." I panted in pain. The energy spent from fighting two of Tralen's pack members coupled with this… I was doomed to collapse and transform back into my own body. The stress was too much for my body to handle. "Lorbul!" the voice shouted. "Take care of this… _monster_."

I heard the dirt shifting with the step of this hunter. The smell hit me first, so I realized that this "Lorbul" character was an Orc. I turned my head to confirm my thoughts. But the Orc was large, mostly covered in muscle, and carried a greatsword on his back… A _silver _greatsword. _Silver Hands!_

"With pleasure, sir," Lorbul said.

I opened my eyes to see an Imperial with dark hair and dark eyes staring at me. His eyes widened in fear when I felt Lorbul hit the back of my skull with the hilt of his greatsword, and my vision darkened until I was swimming in a pool of nothingness.


	27. Chapter 26 - The Prisoner

Chapter Twenty-Six:

The Prisoner

**Middas 15 Sun's Dusk 4E 199 9:09AM**

I woke to the smell of venison, my mouth watering, and my wolf almost _begging _me to accept the food from the Silver Hand. I sat up, not bothering to cover myself as he stood in front of me, eyes trained on my face. _At least he has manners_, I thought bitterly. My head ached, but nothing that wasn't uncomfortable.

"Hungry?" the Bosmer taunted as he held the food out in front of me.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Go you can stuff that venison up your arse!" I snarled at him. "You and every single Silver Hand can go throw yourself into the fiery pits of _Oblivion_ for all I care!"

The Bosmer's hand twitched towards his silver sword. "One more chance, Werewolf."

I bared my teeth at him, the hairs on the back of my neck rising as if they were fur on my back in my other body. "You and your brothers can rot in the Void!" I snarled.

The Bosmer unsheathed his silver sword, bashing it against the metal cage I was in. I admit, my skin began to burn with the metal being so close to me. I hated silver; it was an instinct that was reborn into me when I became a Werewolf. That, and Tralen showed me that silver was dangerous to us. It was why I avoided Markarth as much as I could. Even if I was outside of the city, the mines dug outside its walls sent me into an irritable mood.

"I won't be so kind next time!" he roared. "Take the meat or I feed it to the wolves!"

I smirked. "Why not? I'm a wolf."

"To the _real _wolves! Not some Daedric _mutt_!" he retorted. I could see his anger beginning to bubble over. I remained silent as he huffed, sheathing his weapon and storming out of the room, taking the meat with him. Relieved that I was finally alone, I curled in on myself while I tried to think of a way out. _I have to get out of here… or else Kodlak and the others will worry and think that the worst has happened—wait, what could be worse than being capture by Silver Hands? Oh yeah, returning to Tralen—scratch that. I'd rather be under Tralen's thumb again than be here._

The door opened again, prompting me to glance up and see the Imperial man from before. His dark eyes seemed almost curious.

"Do you have a name?" he asked me.

"Screw you!" I growled. "You can follow your _master _and go rot in the pits of Oblivion!"

The Imperial took a step back but didn't threaten me with his weapon like the Bosmer had before him. "I…"

I closed my eyes as a loud, feral snarl ripped from my lips. The Imperial nearly fell back at the noise and scurried from the room, glancing once over his shoulder before he disappeared from sight.

* * *

**Turdas 16 Sun's Dusk 4E 199 11:54AM**

My flesh still stung and burned from the shock spell that the Bosmer used on me to get me to answer his questions. I kept silent, kept him guessing—trying to frustrate him to the point of opening my cage. But in the end, he got my name out of me. It was the only thing I'd tell him.

_"Never give up without a fight, whelp," _Tralen had said to me almost softly. _"That is what makes us better than those who aren't blessed. We are stronger, smarter, faster… they—the humans—are weak and fragile." _He'd paused. _"But they know our weakness, thus they created a cult: the Silver Hands. If they catch you… tell them nothing. Let them kill you before you tell your secrets."_

A bittersweet smile twitched at my lips. Tralen _did_ teach me something useful after all: never give up without a fight.

* * *

**Loredas 18 Sun's Dusk 4E 199 2:54PM**

I watched with emotionless eyes as the Silver Hands brought in new prisoners. Each of them had the silver eyes, the lean-yet-muscular body of a typical Werewolf—except for the Nord with them. He was more muscle than the others.

"Please stop!" an Imperial woman with black hair and silver eyes pleaded as they stripped her of her clothes and restrained her in a cage not far from mine.

Another Imperial was shoved into the cage across from me. "What do you want with me?! I have nothing to offer you!"

The Bosmer entered, arms tucked behind his back while he observed us. "Lorbul, I want you to find more. Avoid Whiterun Hold."

"Yes, sir." The Orc I remembered from before spun on his heel and left the room.

When the Silver Hands were gone, the Imperial woman shook. "W-What're they gonna do to us?"

"You there," the Nord man called to me, "what did they do to you?"

I moved so my back was turned to the new prisoners. So much for solitary and quiet.

* * *

**Sundas 19 Sun's Dusk 4E 199 10:21AM**

Four more prisoners were introduced to us. A Breton man, another Imperial man, and a Nord woman who was in hysterics. The poor woman offered no respite for my ears.

To make matters worse, there was going to be a full moon. I could feel it in my blood; my wolf wanted release.

The Nord woman eventually quieted a bit and glanced at me. "What's your name?" she asked.

I growled at her.

"My name is Herfid," the woman offered, as if hoping it would coax me.

"I'm Roggar," the Nord man said gruffly.

"Mynre," the Breton man murmured.

The Imperial woman stared at me. "Emelia Varo."

The Imperial man frowned at me. "Silian Curio." Silian and Emelia stared at each other for a long time before they looked elsewhere. Something—I don't know what—was telling that there was more to those two than they were letting on.

"The Bosmer that captured us is named Godras," Mynre told me.

Herfid sighed. "Maybe... Maybe if you talked a bit it would help..."

I snarled at Herifd. "Why?! Nothing we say or do will stop the moon from rising and turning us into Hircine's hounds! Talking does _nothing_!"

After that, I couldn't rightly remember what happened. I just know it got a lot quieter.

* * *

**Middas 22 Sun's Dusk 4E 199 11:55PM**

"… Skadi…?" a gentle voice called. "Skadi?"

I painfully opened my eyes, my vision blurred for a few moments before I could see clearly. _Everything _hurt. My arms, my legs… Just _everything_. "Ugh…" I groaned.

"Bless the Divines," the voice breathed. I felt something being pressed against my lips. Naturally, I refused, but the voice was telling me that it was water. I parted my lips and the cool liquid went down my dry throat. I moaned quietly in relief.

When I drank the water, a smell reached my nose causing my stomach to snarl in want. "F-Food…" I rasped.

"Yes, I brought you food," the voice said while a hand offered me the venison. I wolfed it down as fast as I could, my craving for the meat only intensifying. The person who was in my cage gave me bread, water, cheese… but no greens (which I was thankful for). "I promise you're going to get out of here."

I panted. "Liar…"

"No! I swear on my life, Skadi. I'll get you and the others out of here." I glanced at everyone.

"I'm Miles," he told me quietly. "Miles Callei. I... Well, I work under Godras, but..." He paused. "I need to get you all out of here."

I didn't reply to him. I felt my mind slipping as my wolf took over again.

* * *

**Turdas 23 Sun's Dusk 4E 199 2:00PM**

"Miles." the Bosmer greeted when the Imperial man walked in. "So glad you could join me for this moment."

Miles stood across from him. "What do you need, Godras?"

"I just learned that this one is pregnant."

As Godras pointed to Herfid, Miles crossed his arms. "And what does that mean, sir?"

Godras laughed heartily. "Ah, you and your innocence!" He recovered from his laughter. "After it is born… kill it."

"_NO_!" Herfid howled amidst everyone's cries of outrage and pleading.

"Understand, Werewolf," Godras said in his demeaning tone, "we do not know if the unborn child is like _you_. We can't risk it."

"P-Please! Don't kill my baby!" Herfid's voice was hoarse with pleading.

Godras grinned. "My decision is final." He turned to face me, his eyes narrowed at me briefly before they returned to his apprentice. "Do I make myself clear?"

"O-Of course…" Miles muttered, his own eyes wide with disbelief. When Godras was gone, Miles walked over to the woman. I strained to hear what he said.

"He won't kill the baby!" he exclaimed quietly. "I'll do anything I can to protect your child!"

I wanted to tell him to get away from her, but again, my mind slipped away into a darker place.

* * *

**Sundas 26 Sun's Dusk 4E 199 3:09PM**

Miles came in with a metal cup filled with water for me. I'd gone another few days without food because of my "attitude" towards Godras.

"I sent a letter to the Companions," Miles said while helping me drink the water. "It wasn't easy, but it's sent. I suppose they should be here soon. So just hang on a little longer, and—."

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!" Godras roared. "How _dare _you help this _savage__?_!"

Miles spun around just in time to get his face smashed by a broom Godras had picked up. He scrambled to his feet as Godras dropped the broom and grabbed one of the torture devices instead. The other caged Werewolves screamed and hollered just like Godras was, but we screamed for Godras to let Miles go. The hooked torture device was dragged against Miles' abdomen, the Bosmer somehow able to overpower the Imperial, and then the other Silver Hands rushed in.

Lorbul, just as Godras stood, slammed his fist into Miles' face. The Imperial held up his hands to block the incoming strikes, but it was a futile attempt. He tugged at Lorbul's hair to get him off, but a Nord stepped in and grabbed Miles' hands. It was then that they all jumped on him to hold him down. They laughed when he struggled.

I spotted Godras grabbing a vial from one of the many shelves within the room. As soon as he uncorked it, I knew what it was. The smell was unmistakable: Werewolf blood.

"You want to help them so Gods-damned badly?!" Godras snarled. "I'll show you what happens when you turn your back on your family!"

"YOU WERE GOING TO KILL A BABY, GODRAS!" Miles hollered. "You're a monster, and I hope your soul rots in Oblivion you motherless sack of shit—!"

Godras had Lorbul raise Miles' head and open his mouth forcefully. We watched on in horror, my vision red with fury, as Godras tipped the contents down Miles' throat. Then Lorbul shut his mouth and kept it closed with another man pinched his nose, blocking his airways. Miles struggled against them, but his body couldn't agree with his mind, and he was forced to swallow the blood in order to breathe.

The Bosmer grabbed Miles' chin and stared hard at him. "Who's the monster now?" he asked, and then addressed Lorbul. "Throw him in with the others. It won't be long now."

Miles began to shake. Sweat formed along his brow. The Werewolves were deathly silent as Miles was tossed unceremoniously into the cage next to mine. I could see that his pupils were diluted. The change in him wasn't going to be pretty. And then he began to spasm, screaming in pain as his body adjusted to the change like all of ours had. It wasn't long before his screams dulled into inhuman howls.

I could feel the anger we all shared in that room then. Godras could too. My own was insurmountable as I glared at the Bosmer. He didn't immediately notice my gaze.

"Prepare to move the subjects!" Godras hollered, sending his men into a frenzy. "The Companions are coming! We need to _move_!"

His step faltered when he rested his eyes on me. My wolf was awake and it wanted blood. Godras' blood above all else.

* * *

**Morndas 27 Sun's Dusk 4E 199 5:23PM**

"Gods-dammit!" Godras screamed as he tore into the room. "The Companions are here!"

Other Silver Hands rushed in behind him, some wounded and others running into the holding area to get away from the bloodbath that awaited them.

A small, pathetic smile twitched at my lips. _Taryn! _I thought joyfully. _Taryn and the others are here! Miles' letter reached them! _My eyes rested on the Imperial that was in the cage next to me. He was curled in on himself, trying to find a cold surface to cool his burning body. I knew it was only a matter of time before Miles transformed again, and so did the rest of the Werewolves. But that transformation would kill him.

Godras... When he made Miles drink the blood... The wolf raged in my mind, mixed with my own feral desire. The wolf only intensified the need to taste the Bosmer's blood and hear his screams as the Savage of Skyrim tore him apart.

I moved my eyes so I was watching the Silver Hands prepare to move the others. Mynre, Herfid, Emelia, and Roggar lashed out when the Silver Hands approached. But the Imperial man, Lucret, one of the newer prisoners, was released first. As soon as the shackles were removed he transformed and started attacking the Silver Hands, only to howl in agony as another Silver Hand stabbed his silver greatsword through the Werewolf's chest.

While I watched, Godras screamed, "Forget the others! Grab the Savage—!"

"You're not taking her!" a deep, familiar male voice declared.

I struggled to regain control over myself. I let the wolf have control over my mind for too long. I squeezed my eyes closed while I fought and pleaded with the feral spirit. But as I fought for control, I felt my bones snapping and muscles expanding. A gasp escaped my throat when I felt my neck thicken and the collar around my throat press against my skin.

"You're a coward, Silver Hand! Having to restrain all these Werewolves because you're _scared _of them!" the same voice shouted.

_Vilkas! It's Vilkas! _I fought both my inner wolf and the transformation with the knowledge that if I were to transform, I would die. While I struggled mentally for control, I watched Godras as he removed his silver sword, holding it defensively against the Companion.

"You will die, just like that _monster_!" the Bosmer spat while kicking Lucret's unmoving form.

I snarled furiously at the Bosmer (Mynre and Emelia echoed my snarls) for kicking Lucret. Godras made to reply to us, to slander us and threaten to kill us, but an arrow lodged in his shoulder causing him to halt his words and cry out in pain. I searched for the source of the arrow when I found Aela walking in, another arrow nocked and ready to fire.

But when she saw me, her face turned ashen. "Taryn!" she cried.

My heart started pumping erratically at the name. She was safe! She and Elana were safe! The Silver Hands didn't get them. I saw Taryn skid to a stop, her green eyes wide with horror and disbelief.

I grunted in pain when the transformation pushed forward and the restraints began to hurt me and cut off my airway. I heard the lock give and the door slam against the side of the cage. A snarl ripped from my throat as someone—Taryn—approached me.

"Hold on, Skadi!" Taryn pleaded. "Just hold on! I'm going to get you out of here!"

The collar around my throat was the first to go, followed by my arms then legs. When the shackles were gone, the transformation took over entirely. I stood on all fours as I stalked out of the cage, my eyes trained on the Bosmer that was struggling against the combined strength of Vilkas and Skjor as they threw him onto the torture table. My lips parted over my muzzle, exposing my fangs to the Bosmer as an unending growl vibrated from my throat.

Aela and Farkas put the restraints on Godras, cursing as they touched the silver restraints but when they were done restraining the bastard, they backed off and continued hacking at the remaining Silver Hands.

"Let me go!" Godras wailed.

I took a step forward, only to stop when something bright and shiny appeared in my line of sight. I blinked a few times to try and focus, and when it did, I stared at it.

"Skadi…" a familiar voice said. The person holding the object crouched down so we were eye-level. Bright green eyes bored into my gold ones. _Taryn! _Cautiously, Taryn brought her hand forward and began scratching the fur on the side of my face. "Remember me?" I nodded. She held the object up again. "This was a gift from Balfhe. Remember him?"

It took a moment, but I nodded after a time. Taryn smiled while she removed her hand and replaced the necklace around my neck. When the necklace was set, Taryn wrapped her arms around me tightly. I rested my head on her shoulder, returning the gesture as best I could in this body. I could feel the others staring at us. They'd never seen me act so _human _in this body.

Taryn pulled away first, her eyes trained on the cage next to mine. She stared at Miles for a time, her arms crossed. "All of them are Werewolves, right?" she asked.

I glanced at everyone before I settled my eyes on Miles. _Yes_, I barked to her. Immediately, Taryn started picking the locks to the cages while I sat on my haunches and patiently waited for Taryn to finish. Godras' cries for mercy were nearly impossible to ignore. Werewolves were man-eaters. We craved the flesh of man and mer, so with a mer being restrained so that he was vulnerable… It was _very_ tempting.

As soon as Taryn unlocked Herfid's restraints, the Nord woman hugged Taryn tightly while muttering incoherent praises and words of thanks. I couldn't help myself; I started laughing, my tail flicking back and forth on the hard ground at Taryn's red face.

Herfid walked over to me, standing by me while she tried to resist her own inner desire to kill Godras. "How can you stand it?" she asked while Taryn worked on freeing Mynre. "How can you not be attacking that monster?"

Sitting, I was shoulder-level with Herfid. I offered her a shrug while Mynre strode over and stood on Herfid's left. One-by-one, each Werewolf that was released took a position around Herfid. _Pack thinking, _I thought. _Protect the female. _Of course, Emelia was a woman, but she wasn't pregnant.

With a sigh, my eyes returned to Taryn (who was staring at Miles for a good ten minutes). As if she sensed my gaze, Taryn glanced back at me. I felt my brow rise, prompting her to roll her eyes. "For the love of Talos!" she hissed. "I'm not checking him out!"

I tilted my head, my brow still rising.

"I'm going to make you carry him out of here naked!" she growled.

I snorted, baring my teeth in reply to her remark. Smirking, Taryn unlocked Miles' cage. She tried waking him, first by quietly speaking and then by gently smacking his face, which had already healed from being introduced to Lorbul's fists. I chuckled at her rather pathetic attempts to rouse the sick man.

"Well, do you have a better idea?!" Taryn snapped at me.

With a wolfish smile in place, I padded over to Taryn's side and lowered my muzzle to Miles' ear, barking loudly. Miles' eyes snapped open at the same time his head shot up, connecting with Taryn's head in the process. I couldn't hold back the laugh that started in the center of my stomach and traveled up and through my teeth while Taryn and Miles groaned in pain.

"Skjor!" Vilkas called. "What do we do with him?" Vilkas gestured to Godras' struggling form.

Skjor glanced at the Bosmer hatefully. "Do what you want with him. I'm going back to Whiterun to tell Kodlak of our success." Skjor took off moments after, leaving at least a dozen Werewolves alone with the Silver Hand bastard.

I glanced back at Miles to see him curled up against the cage again. It was obvious he was burning up.

"We need to get him out of here," Emelia murmured while watching the former Silver Hand. "He's not going to last much longer."

I huffed my agreement while Taryn approached Miles.

"You tried to help Skadi," Taryn stated, "so I'm going to help you." She offered her hand, prompting Miles to open his eyes and stare at it before taking it and wrapping Taryn in a hug. Roggar gently nudged my side, a mocking glint in his eyes while he gestured to Taryn. I snickered roughly, which earned me a rude gesture from Taryn.

It took a few moments, but when Taryn finally got away from Miles, she found the supply closet that held the trousers and tunics we were given _if _we cooperated with the Silver Hands (needless to say, I didn't cooperate very well). The men donned the trousers and handed the women the tunics. Herfid pulled hers over her head before folding one up and putting it front of me. I smiled a "thank-you" when she put the trousers on top of the tunic.

Miles was able to slip the trousers on, despite having some trouble with tying them, and refused the tunic altogether. None of the Werewolves blamed him, since his skin was likely still crawling with the heat. When everyone was dressed, I scooped up my share of the clothes in my mouth.

"I've got a suggestion," Taryn said while she helped Miles from the cage. I trotted over and felt Miles put a hand on my back to steady himself out a little bit more while his left arm was draped over Taryn's shoulders. "How about we let the ones who've been tortured by that _monster_ play a game I like to call, 'role-reversal'?"

My ears perked up at the mention of that. Taryn explained that game to me once. Herfid placed a hand on her slightly swollen belly, glaring at Godras with enough hate it'd put _me_ to shame (in fact, it _did _put me to shame). I stopped walking and placed the clothes on the ground to snarl at the struggling Bosmer.

In response, Godras shook while spitting curses at us.

"Why not?" Aela replied with a smirk.

Farkas snorted. "I like that game, anyhow."

"It's settled then," Taryn declared before glancing at everyone. "Take your time. We'll be outside."

With a sigh, I picked up my clothes again, following Taryn and Miles out. Once or twice Miles nearly collapsed, but Taryn and I caught him easily. When we were near the door, I stopped. My tail went limp behind me while I ears fell flat against my skull. I wanted to get out of there, I honestly did, but the cries of pure and undiluted agony mixed in with the smell of fresh blood… It was clouding my mind, tempting and teasing my inner desire. I glanced at Taryn, who was unaware that I'd stopped.

"… Wait…" Miles rasped. "… Skadi…"

_I shouldn't… but… _I craned my neck towards the source of the screams. _I'm not beyond this. Taryn might be, but I'm not. _

"Go," Taryn encouraged me, startling me slightly. "Add a few swipes in there for Miles and I."

I huffed in thanks before racing back to the torture chamber (which was where the bandits that used to live here used to fight wolves). The Werewolves glanced at me. Aela grinned at me, her silver eyes alive with hunger and promises of pain.

She glanced back down at Godras. "Let this _monster_," Aela hissed as she trailed an arrow along Godras' neck, "see what happens what _several _feral Werewolves are capable of." Everyone muttered an agreement of sorts. "But… _Skadi _should have the honors of beginning this little game."

"Agreed," everyone said in unison.

I rose on my hind legs while the group parted. Aela lifted Godras' head up so he could watch as I approached him. A sadistic, wolfish grin appeared on my face, making Godras shake so hard I smelled urine. Everyone wrinkled their noses at the stench.

"Not so tough now, are you?" Roggar growled. "Rip his throat out!"

"Sever his head!" Emelia cried.

"Sever _his manhood_!" Herfid roared. _Oh, I'm giving that pleasure to you, _I thought to her.

"Tear his head from his body!" Mynre shouted.

All of their suggestions was making it hard for me to concentrate. _I can't lose control, _I chanted to myself. My maw parted when I was closer. I jumped up onto the table so I was crouched over Godras' body, my forepaws resting on his shoulders while my fangs were inches from his face. (I barely registered the silver restraints the Bosmer was in).

"G-Get away!" he wailed.

The last thing that I remember clearly was my teeth sinking into his flesh and an arm flying from its socket.

* * *

**Morndas 27 Sun's Dusk 4E 199 9:22PM**

Mynre and Emelia were the only two prisoners to transform. Roggar and Herfid remained human for their turn at torturing Godras. Aela and Hiemdall transformed, no doubt just to scare Godras more. They both carried their armor and weapons carefully in their mouths.

Vilkas opened the door, letting the natural light in the dim corridor. I narrowed my eyes at it, my heart thudding loudly enough I thought everyone could hear it. And then we got outside. I wanted to _run_. Run until I couldn't any longer. I bet I could run to Anvil and back and still not be tired! The first thing I noticed was Miles. He looked better, but he was still obviously a little delirious. _Thank the Gods Taryn got water in him._

I sat back on my haunches again, watching as Herfid strode over to Miles and took his hands in hers. "Thank-you," she said. "If it weren't for you, none of us would be alive." I ducked my head, ears against my skull. I hoped he would be able to recognize my thanks.

"I'm... sorry..." he rasped in response to the Nord woman. "Shouldn't have... let him..."

Aela nudged my side, motioning with her head that she, Hiemdall, and I should return. I shook my head. I'd stay with the twins and Taryn. Sighing, Aela gave Vilkas her armor and weapons while Hiemdall gave Farkas his belongings. The two of them bid us a farewell as they bounded off into the forest, towards Whiterun.

"We'll take care of him," Mynre declared, pulling my attention back to the matter at hand. "We'll form a pack. We'll live outside of civilization and create our own." I smiled inwardly at that. "Skadi, you and your friends will be welcome any time. We'll send a courier to tell you our location when we've chosen one." He smiled, then glanced at Miles. "We'll help him learn."

I padded over to Taryn and sat next to her, watching as the former prisoners disappeared into the wild. Miles, supported by Mynre and Roggar, glanced back at Farkas, Vilkas, Taryn, and myself, a smile on his face. I snuck a look at Taryn and saw how _red _she was when she stared at Miles.

Mentally grinning, I threw my head back and howled loud enough for the Werewolves to smile and laugh. Taryn cuffed the side of my head playfully. She knew I was mocking her.

"I'm glad you're well enough to mock me," she said.

I shrugged in response.

"We should set up camp then or keep moving. No need to worry about the wild animals being drawn here with that rotting Bosmer," Vilkas muttered.

Nodding our agreements, I picked my clothes up as I walked next to Taryn. Her hand brushed my side a few times while we walked. I didn't mind it. She was probably making sure that I wasn't wounded or that I was still there.

_Those damned kids… _I silently growled to myself. _If my stupid wolf didn't feel the damned need to fight I wouldn't have gotten myself into this mess! _

"_Your quest is far from complete…" _Hircine's voice rang. I rolled my eyes in response.

* * *

**Tirdas 28 Sun's Dusk 4E 199 7:21AM**

My eyes snapped open as soon as I heard birds chirping and smelled wild grass around me. I shot up, finding myself inside a tent and covered in furs. It must've been early in the morning, but it was there. _The sun__!_ Glancing around, I spotted my clothes in a neat pile near my head while I heard someone stoking a fire close by. I brought my knees up to my chest, burying my face in my hands.

"I'm free," I mumbled. "Godras is dead and I'm free…"

"Skadi?" I rested my eyes on Farkas, who was smiling warmly at me. "Are you hungry?"

I opened my mouth to reply, when my stomach did it for me. "Why don't you get dressed? Then I'll give you some breakfast."

I hastily dressed, crawling out of the tent while pulling a few furs tightly over me. I wasn't cold; I just _liked _having the blankets around me. It made me feel safer. Farkas handed me a large portion of sabrecat and I swallowed it promptly, not caring that it burned my mouth.

I think I was on my ninth piece (and still nowhere near being full) when Taryn woke up.

"Skadi!" she exclaimed.

I stared at her for a moment before Taryn leapt at me, wrapping her arms around me in a tight hug. I returned the gesture, gripping her just as tightly to make sure it wasn't a dream and Godras wasn't using an illusion spell on me again.

"Gods! I'm so glad you're okay!"

After I released her, I grabbed another portion of sabrecat. Taryn dug into her own meal (which I assumed was venison from the smell).

"He's dead, Skadi," Farkas told me, causing me to jump. "He's not going to hurt you."

For some reason, I didn't know if he was talking about Tralen or Godras. Gods, Tralen's punishments and methods to get me to do what he wanted was _nothing _compared to what Godras did to me and the others. My eyes widened.

"Miles and the others got out too. They're safe—_you're _safe," Farkas stated, offering Taryn some more breakfast and my twelfth portion.

"You look better," Taryn murmured. She handed me a skin of water. I guzzled it down in one gulp, craving more—craving _anything _that would sate my thirst and hunger. "We'll get you more food and water, Skadi," Taryn assured me.

I swallowed. "B-Balfhe?" Gods, my voice sounded worse than normal after a transformation.

Taryn cracked a smile. "He's safe. They didn't get him."

I wanted to see him. I wanted to let him know that I was okay.

"You were talking in your sleep." Farkas grinned. "I sent Vilkas ahead to see if he could get Balfhe to Whiterun."

I felt utterly lost for words. _No wonder the name was settled as the "Companions"..._ I mused with a smile.

"We should get moving. My mom and dad are worried sick about you. It took the entire Circle to convince mom to stay back!"

I slowly stood, wrapping the blankets tightly around my body as Taryn helped to steady me out. I was still weak, and I knew it'd take a lot of hunting trips and a lot of meals to get me back to normal. Farkas routinely cleaned up the camp, dimming the fire but allowing it to burn itself out.

I gulped. "W-Where are we?" I asked, coughing a few times to clear my throat.

"Orphan's Rock," Taryn told me. "We stopped when you collapsed from exhaustion."

Then that meant we weren't far from Whiterun—from home.

"Let's go."


	28. Chapter 27 - Welcome Back

Chapter Twenty-Seven:

Welcome Back

**Tirdas 28 Sun's Dusk 4E 199 1:41PM**

Farkas, Taryn and I spent the entire morning walking back home, only stopping in Riverwood so we could take a breather (well, I snuck off and took a bath in the White River) and restock our supplies, which were almost gone. Taryn stayed close to me as a constant reminder that nothing was going to happen and that I was free.

I was standing outside of the Riverwood Trader, leaning against one of the wooden posts while I watched the blacksmith work at his forge. Children were running around playing a game of tag while a dog followed them behind (what I assumed was) the blacksmith's house. I could hear the lumber mill being used too. Taryn and Farkas were inside the shop paying for more food or potions.

"Hey," Taryn said softly, startling me and putting a hand on my shoulder. "You okay?"

I nodded to answer her question.

"Good. Farkas is just paying for the rest of the supplies we bought. He'll meet us at the edge of town."

I nodded again and followed Taryn to the edge of town, where I leaned against the side of the arch that marked the entrance/exit to the village. Narrowing my eyes, I could faintly see a few buildings off in the distance. A few dark images pushed their way to the front of my mind, but I shut my eyes, shaking my head to clear it. Taryn watched me for a time, and then her lips curled into a frown.

"All right," Farkas said, appearing next to Taryn. "I got the supplies. We should get going."

"That'd be a good idea. I want to get home before my dad can't hold my mom back any longer," Taryn grumbled.

I smirked at the image of Elana beating down Kodlak to come and find the three of us. _That's the last thing I need to do right now_, I mused. _I don't need to go wolf and track Elana down… again_. Farkas gestured for Taryn and I to start walking, so we did.

"Look!" Taryn exclaimed while grabbing my wrist and yanking me to a small cliff that had a great view of Whiterun. Dragonsreach appeared the same—was it the same?—as it sat above the city and overlooked the entire Hold itself. "We're almost home."

"Home…" I breathed.

Taryn visibly jumped at the sound of my voice. _She hasn't done that since… Well, the first day I came to Jorrvaskr, basically. _"For Talos' sake!" Taryn hissed. "You haven't said a word since we packed up camp back at Orphan's Rock!" I offered a shrug. "This is _just _like the first day you came to Jorrvaskr!"

I smirked. "But I think I'll receive a much warmer welcome."

"You can count on that," Taryn replied. I smiled as I observed at Dragonsreach when I felt Taryn put a hand on my shoulder. "My mom isn't patient, if you remember."

I chuckled quietly but relented, following Taryn back to where Farkas was waiting. "Enjoy the view?" he asked the two of us.

I gave a nod in response, which caused Taryn to groan and gently hit me upside the head.

"She's gone mute on us now!" she growled while staring at me.

While she complained, I smirked as I rubbed my head. Farkas chuckled lightly, but I could see the faintest of worry in his silver eyes.

We continued along the road until we were near Honningbrew Meadery. One guard greeted us, mostly because Farkas was with us and he was a well-known Companion. I edged closer to Taryn and lowered my voice.

"Is the caravan here?" I whispered. The two weeks of being locked up and barely fed made me question my self-control around the Khajiit—or civilization in general, at that point.

"_Gods-dammit_!" Taryn hissed. "Warn me next time you decide to talk!" I frowned as I awaited an answer. "No. The caravan left roughly three days ago. Why? Are you hungry?"

There it was again—that same look in her eyes when she discovered Tralen's letter under my pillow. A low growl settled in the back of my throat, but I swallowed it. "N-No," I mumbled. "I just don't want to be tempted."

"Fair enough…" Taryn trailed off.

None of us spoke for the rest of the walk back to the city. But when we came up to the stables, I rushed forward to find Ace eating some straw in his pen. "Ace!" I exclaimed, wrapping my arms around the stallion's thick neck and inhaling his scent. He whinnied, bobbing his head gently in a greeting of his own. "I missed you," I mumbled. He snorted once before I released him, letting him get back to eating.

"That's sweet," Taryn said, crossing her arms. "Nothing like a wolf and her horse."

I frowned. "I'm not going to dignify that with a response."

Farkas cracked a smile before beckoning me back over to him and Taryn. "Let's go."

We reached the gates that allowed entry to the city and spotted Kodlak and Elana waiting for us. As soon as we were within arms reach, Elana hugged Taryn and I tightly, holding me a little bit tighter for an extra second before releasing me. Kodlak strode over, playfully messing up Taryn's and my hair before he and Farkas walked into the city, speaking in hushed tones.

"Well," Taryn said after a time, "we should get back to Jorrvaskr."

I gulped once before I trailed into the city behind Elana. Everything was the same as it was when I left. Adrianne was working tirelessly at her forge; no doubt her husband, Ulfberth War-Bear, was inside of Warmaiden's. Narrowing my eyes, I saw that the market was busy, and the kids were running around as usual. Taking an immediate left, the three of us ascended the steps to the Wind District quickly, only to stop when Fralia approached us.

"Hello!" Fralia called to the three of us, waving at me.

I slowly raised my hand and waved back, hoping that my smile didn't appear forced. She smiled at the three of us before hurrying down to the market, no doubt to make sure there weren't any unwanted thieves snooping around her stand.

In no time flat, Taryn, Elana, and I reached the top of the steps to Jorrvaskr. Taryn bid us a farewell before vanishing into the mead hall. I took a step forward, but Elana put a hand on my arm to stop me. I turned to face her.

"Are you okay, Skadi?" she asked me softly. "What did they do to you?"

I opened my mouth to tell her I didn't really remember, but thought better of it and closed my mouth, shaking my head to let her know I didn't want to talk about it.

"If you want to talk about it, I'm here, okay?"

I nodded. "Thank-you," I mumbled.

She put a hand on my shoulder. "No need to thank me, Skadi." I felt her staring at me. "They didn't feed you much, did they?"

I swallowed. "Not much... And only then if we cooperated."

Elana didn't voice her opinion over that, but I had a good feeling of what it was. She opened the door and allowed me to walk in first. My eyes snapped to the walls and ceiling, my heart beginning to speed up in pace—.

_Calm down, Skadi, _I said inwardly to myself, taking a few deep breaths. _Just calm down. There're no cages here, no silver, no torture devices. _My heart slowed down slightly, but I wasn't any more relaxed. Athis and Ria were chatting in hushed tones, cutting their conversation short when they spotted me.

"Skadi!" Ria exclaimed before rushing over and hugging me. "By the Divines, what happened?! Kodlak said that the contract you were sent on was a set-up!"

I took a step back, but Athis was right there. "Yeah, he was so worried he sent the entire Circle and Taryn out after you. What did the thugs want with you?"

My vision was beginning to blur, my heart thudding loudly behind my ears. Elana seemed to have noticed what was going on, because she stepped in.

"She was… incapacitated for a bit. Turned out the bandits just wanted to prove they were stronger than us," she stated swiftly.

Ria and Athis nodded before retuning to their seats to continue their conversation. Njada glanced at me, but she seemed to understand that I wasn't in the mood to talk. Vignar and Tilma were on the main level, both chatting heartily about the past. Tilma's eyes lit up when she saw that I was back. Vignar gave a grunt to acknowledge me.

"Don't worry about that old man, Skadi," Elana said. "He's glad you're okay."

I grunted a response but remained silent while we walked down to the living quarters. Elana closed the door behind me, causing me to jump and whirl. _Trapped… I'm trapped__—__! _

"Skadi?" Elana attempted to grab my attention. "Skadi."

I blinked a few times, my arms wrapping themselves around my mid-section. "I-I-I…" I stared at the barrier.

Elana frowned, stared at the door for a moment before facing me again. "It's just a door, Skadi." Elana opened the door a crack. "See?"

I nodded, a small bead of sweat traveling down the side of my face. "I-I see." Elana's green eyes were narrowed slightly, but she and I walked down the hall, turned into a narrower hall, and changed direction once more so I was staring into a large room. There were two beds, two chairs, two dressers… I slowly stepped into it and glanced around. Both sides held books and a chest at the foot of the bed, but there was a mannequin dressed in familiar armor—my armor. A stuffed bear sat against the pillows, a letter sitting in front of it.

_Bjorn, _I reminded myself. I continued forward and sat on the edge of my bed, still staring at the room to get reacquainted with everything again. When I was satisfied that there weren't any Silver Hands, cages, weapons, or torture tables, I sighed in relief.

Elana leaned against the doorframe, her arms crossed. "I'm going to get you something to eat," she said as she shut the door behind her, but not entirely. "Take your time."

I listened as she walked away, straining my ears until I heard the door to the main level open and close. After a few minutes of sitting in silence, I turned my head to retrieve the letter that was sitting against the stuffed bear. I broke the seal on it, opening the letter so I could read it.

_Skadi,_

_My mom is really worried about you and I am too. You didn't write back when you got home and Mendre said that you weren't in Whiterun when he went to drop your horse and armor off. I hope everything is okay. Do you think I can come and visit you when you get home?_

_—Balfhe _

A smirk twitched at my lips. I stood and put Bjorn back on top of the dresser, placing the note in my end table. I pushed the drawer closed at the same time my vision blurred violently and I felt myself swaying from the forcefulness of it. I reached my arm out to feel my way to the bed, and when I found it I sat down, resting my face in my hands while broken images of men staring down at me and grinning wickedly appeared. They started hitting me and cutting me with heinous weapons...

A soft noise reached my ears, followed by a gasp. "Skadi!" the voice screamed. "_Skadi_!"

I snapped my eyes to the person to see Taryn in my face, her eyes wide and uncertain. "W-What?!" I growled.

"Calm down! You're transforming! _Calm down_!"

_I-I'm transforming? _I lowered my eyes to my hands to see my nails sharpening and some fur beginning to push itself up from under my skin. Squeezing my eyes closed, I gained control over myself and the fur receded.

"S-Sorry…" Taryn vanished for a moment, leaving the door fully open before returning with a bottle. "Wolfsbane…?"

"I want you to drink this after you have something to eat." She set the bottle on the end table, and then she sat next to me. "Can you remember anything?"

"He wanted to kill Herfid's baby…" I mumbled. "An unborn _baby_!" Tears began to blur my vision. "He-He made Miles drink Werewolf blood—because he was _helping _us!"

Taryn hugged me tightly, only to release me when Elana walked in with a tray filled with food (with both cooked and raw meat). I watched her with hungry eyes as she set it on the table, taking a step back as I rushed over and began consuming everything (aside from the greens that she had set there).

"Taryn," Elana said as I was halfway done with the second plate of food, "there's another tray outside. Can you bring it in?"

"Sure."

Taryn stepped outside, bringing in the next tray of food and setting it on the other side of the table as I finished the second plate. Elana's eyes rested on the greens that I didn't eat, but she didn't say anything about it as she removed the empty plates while I pulled the next tray towards me, eating the food with no less vigor.

"You look better already," Taryn said while watching me. "Gods, I forgot that you could eat that fast..."

I flashed my eyes to her, a growl emanating from my throat. It was a response and a warning in one. She tensed at the noise, but she obviously understood what the growl meant so she and Elana spent some time talking. While they talked, I watched Taryn take out a tattered journal, handing it to her mother.

"Show this to dad. It's important."

Elana nodded before watching me finish the large meal. My stomach certainly thanked her for it. I stared at Taryn to make sure she wasn't paying attention.

"Thanks, Elana," I said in a clear, non hoarse voice.

"SKADI!" Taryn nearly screamed after getting over her surprise. "Stop doing that!"

Elana crossed her arms. "She just thanked me for the food."

I smirked. "Taryn's jumpy."

Elana rolled her eyes, muttering something about asking Kodlak about a wall between my side of the room and Taryn's.

"Can you leave the door open?" I asked when Elana was out.

"Why?" Taryn asked. Elana shot Taryn a look (and the latter seemed to understand what her mother wasn't saying aloud). "Oh, okay."

Elana nodded, leaving the room (and the door open).

Taryn sat on the edge of her bed, watching me while I chugged down tankard after tankard of water and mead alike. Mead didn't really affect me as strongly as it did others. I didn't know why it didn't, but at that moment… I wished it did.

"Unbelievable," Taryn mumbled. "I bet you could beat _Skjor _in a drinking contest! Aren't you a _little_ drunk?!"

I shook my head before gulping down another tankard of water.

"Here," Taryn said while handing me the Wolfsbane Elixir.

I took the cork off and gulped the contents down, handing the empty bottle back to Taryn as I settled onto my bed and Elana covered me up. "We know it's still early, Skadi, but you need—."

My eyes shut on their own as exhaustion overcame me. I was grateful that I was too tired to dream—or maybe it was because of the Wolfsbane Elixir that I drank… Either way, I was grateful that I was getting a peaceful night's sleep.

I thought I felt someone nudge my shoulder.

"She's out cold," someone said.

"Did you give her too much?" another asked.

Eventually my sense of hearing faded into nothingness as the elixir worked its way through my system, and then I was fully encased in a sea of black.

* * *

**Middas 29 Sun's Dusk 4E 199 2:11AM**

On their own, my eyes fluttered open to a dark room—the cage. I sat up, rubbing my forehead as something soft and warm slid from my front. But unlike the other times, the cold didn't hit me. _A tunic, _I assumed. _Godras gave me a tunic because I cooperated with him... _A barely audible footstep reached my ear, causing me to shoot to my feet and stare at the door to my cage—.

"Skadi?" a gentle voice said. They remained in the door, not entering my sanctuary.

I snarled viciously at the person, warning them that they had better keep their distance. "_Stay away_," I growled.

The person put their hands up in a sign of defenselessness. "Skadi, I'm not going to hurt you. Do you know where you are?"

"In a _cage_!" I hissed.

The shadow shook their head. "No, Skadi. You're in Jorrvaskr—you're back home."

"Lies!" I snarled before I lunged and attacked the person. She screamed weakly as my hand clasped her throat and I shoved her against the stone wall. "I'll kill you, along with all the other Silver Hands—!"

"SKADI!" a new voice shouted.

I turned my head in time to see a fist careening for my face, but I didn't move quickly enough because the punch nailed my jaw and I was sent flying into the side of my bed. My mind was racing, trying to understand and process what had just happened.

"Are you okay, mom?" Taryn asked softly while helping the other woman to her feet.

_Taryn! Wait then that means... _I shot my eyes up to see Elana in a nightgown, gulping down air while massaging her throat. _I-I almost killed Elana?! _I brought my knees up to my chest, my face hidden behind my hands as tears fell from my eyes. "I-I..."

"Skadi, what's going on?" Elana asked, her voice a little raspy now. "You're home, you're not a prisoner anymore."

I stared at the two of them, my entire being shaking with fear and confusion. "I... I..." That was all I could get out of my mouth. That moment... It didn't feel _real _to me. I was supposed to be in control of myself! "I'm so sorry!" I hiccupped before I pushed past them, rushing for the door.

"Skadi!" Taryn called. "_Skadi_!"

I ignored her while I rushed outside, through the city and out the gate. A few guards watched me for a second, but decided that I wasn't worth their time. I just needed to get away from that. I needed to understand what was going on!

"Skadi?" a gentle voice yawned.

I skidded to a stop to see Hreir sitting in a wagon, rubbing her eyes while Balfhe slept on Hulgar's lap. "H-Huh...?"

One look at me and Hreir jumped off of the carriage and held my face in her hands. "What's wrong? You look spooked!"

I pulled away. "I-I-I can't talk about it. I need to go—."

Hreir watched me with pain-filled eyes. "Please... don't go. Don't leave us again."

"You don't understand, Hreir. _I attacked Elana_! I attacked the woman that has been helping me since the day I came here! I nearly tore her throat out with my _teeth_!" Balfhe started to mumbled in his sleep. "Hreir, my control isn't what it normally is! I could snap and _kill _that boy without a second thought! _I need to get out of here_!"

A hand grabbed my shoulder. "Skadi!" Kodlak panted while moving his hand. He was in a pair of trousers, a tunic half-on his being. "What's going on with you?!"

Breathing was starting to become difficult as Hreir and Kodlak began asking me questions. Their voices eventually bled together in an incoherent buzz of nonsense and the world around me started to spin again. I thought I heard someone call for help, because the next thing I knew, there were more people around me. I clutched my head and sank to my knees.

"Leave me, _alone_!" I screamed as loud as I could. "Stop it!" Broken images of Godras torturing me, restraining me in silver shackles while he and his friends laughed and poked at me, laughing harder as I screamed. The screams of Herfid when she learned what was going to happen to her baby mixed with the screams of Miles as the blood transformed him... I felt myself lean forward and the cool stones below me offered little relief from the burning sensation in my skin.

A little bit later (about five seconds) something was being pressed against my lips. The liquid went down my throat, the potion calming me down rapidly to the point that I felt utterly spent and exhausted.

"W-What happened to Skadi?" Hreir asked.

"It's... It's a long story, Hreir," Kodlak whispered. "Come. Let's get you, Hulgar and Balfhe to the inn so you can warm up and get some more sleep."

And like before, the sea of black descended on me, blocking the senses from my mind.


End file.
